Naria, Princess of Dreams
by Mazza Faye16
Summary: Yukina Naria was born to be a princess, but instead became something quite different when an unknown being was sealed within her. Growing up alone in the forest and being attacked after being chased from home, she becomes a powerful, deadly ninja. Events lead her to Konoha where she starts to mend herself with help, and leans she's capable of more than she ever imagined, even love.
1. Prologue

**Alright, so this is my own Naruto fanfiction with my own character (obviously I don't own Naruto, but I had this idea). It will be placed in Naruto Shippuden and will sort of follow the story. This will be about Naria's life, but the events of Shippuden will still happen. Themes of Shippuden will be threaded through it, but there may be slight difference's. Also, spoiler's will obviously be included, so if you haven't watched Shippuden read at your own risk.**

 **Themes - Hurt, Violence, anger, pain then friendship, family, adventure and eventually Love.**

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 **Prologue**

I've heard people say before that princesses – and princes – are supposed to be respected by their people, revered, and looked upon for guidance once they were older and wiser. Yet, for the first seven years of my life in my parent's secluded village, I was treated like a freak instead of the princess that I was born to be. I was seen as a vicious monster that could snap and kill everyone around her in an unforeseeable second and many wanted me dead because of that. I was shunned, feared and tormented by all who lived in the kingdom... and pretty much everyone and anyone who knew who – and what – I actually was.

I was born into a family that ruled a kingdom that was hidden in a large valley within a mountain that sat at the border between the land of fire and land of wind, so absolutely everyone within it knew who I was and some outside of it knew too because rumours travel faster than the truth. The valley of dreams, it was a valley full of many cynical, arrogant, fearful, narrow minded people who wouldn't accept anything that was even slightly abnormal, so you can probably imagine how they felt about me because I was vastly abnormal. It didn't help that my mother added to their fear.

See, on the evening that I came into this world, some sort of unknown being sealed itself away – at least I think it sealed itself away; if it had help is a mystery to me – within my body for some unknown reason. From that day on everyone feared me because people fear the unknown more than anything in this world; everyone ran from me or avoided me the moment they saw me or tried to kill me, and there was only one person who could actually look into my eyes with no fear in theirs – he could also look into my eyes for more than thirty seconds without any hostile emotions within his. My parents knew that what was within me wasn't one of the tailed beasts they'd heard about – even I knew that – still, they were equally as scared of me, maybe even more so then the people of our kingdom, though it was my mother, more than my father. They were also ashamed of me and disgusted by me; my mother constantly saying straight to my face that her real daughter had died when the being had entered my body; that only a monster resided now – she never even said my name. Even my father treated me strangely and wanted me to stay locked away in the castle because he couldn't let a monster near his people I suppose; he would become angry with me when I snuck out and went to my secret place. After that, the whole kingdom stated that their princess was dead and only the monster remained within her body, meaning I should be killed before it was too late and I hurt someone. They all saw me as a monster instead of seeing me as the baby and the child that I was back then; I was innocent and unknowing yet they feared me.

My name is Yukina Naria (it's a rare name, I admit. It means night sky) and I am the third child of King Yukina Itaru – he'd normally be called lord – and Queen Yukina Ayana (formally Kohinata because she had my grandmothers last name), the king and queen of the hidden valley of dreams. My two older siblings are my brothers Prince Riku (land) and Prince Nobu (trust), while even though I was meant to be my parent's last child originally, because they only wanted three, they (luckily, as my mother saw it) had another daughter – Princess Ayame (Iris). My mother named her after her favourite flower.

I looked a little different to my siblings because of my... situation; because when that being entered my body my raven black hair turned snow white and a white mark of some kind appeared above my heart. Our father had ebony black hair and dark chocolate brown eyes, while our mother had brown hair and very dark blue eyes. Riku and I have our father's hair colour (or at least, I had originally had it until my hair turned white) and Nobu has brown hair like our mother, while Ayame's was in-between with dark brown hair. As for our eyes, Riku and I take after our mother, although our eyes are slightly darker then both of theirs, while Nobu and Ayame take after our father with dark chocolate brown eyes. All of us kids had be differences in age, other than Ayame and me. Riku was born first, then five years late Nobu was born. Then I was born three years later, and Ayame was born two years after me. If we went by the twelve months in a year it went Ayami, Riku, me and then finally Nobu in the birthday order.

My siblings, once they knew enough, were pretty much scared of me too, seeing me mostly as a freak – though I will say Ayame didn't know any better, so she can't be blamed. She was younger than I was and was doing what she was told. What she was told was to avoid me at all costs. That is, all except Riku who loved me unconditionally and saw me as his little sister. He was my only friend; he knew everything that I liked and disliked, where my secret place was and risked earning the fury of our mother every time he came to see me when he was told not to.

At least, that was until the night that ultimately changed my life forever - and I don't mean in a practically good way. Actually, it changed my life in the worst possible way imaginable, which is saying something because everyone around me had made my life horrible since my birth, though the vicious attacks on my life didn't start till I was two years old and my younger sister was born.

My father Itaru was respected for being a fearless warrior and ruler of our kingdom – even though he I think feared me and everyone else thought that too; not to mention the fact that he had lived most of his life within the valley – while my mother Ayana was known for her amazing medical ninjutsu and knowledge, a gift that was passed from mother to daughter in our family, mostly – along with a copy of a book of our family's knowledge about healing, even though the Kohinata family name was only that of my grandmother now. They took care of the valley well… I guess, but allowed me to suffer, even though my father somewhat protected me until I was four – it was Riku who always got in the way when the people attacked me on the street. That being said, my parents were like that before their deaths, though they seemed to fear me up until the very second that they died.

Back before I was six years old, having been repeatedly taught never to use my charka or any ability the thing inside me that had turned me into a monster (as my mother called it) gave me unless I wanted to be severely punished, I was pretty much always alone – forced to go through stupid princess lessons even though everyone was afraid of me (which meant I would never be accepted as the ruler if something were to happen) and being kept in the castle a lot of the time. That is unless my brother Riku ignored our parents and came to spend time with me in secret, even though he always got in trouble when he was caught, which made him the only person who did. Don't get me wrong, there was a lot for us to do in our large castle – I even had an area of it to myself because people tended to avoid me – but it wasn't the same as being free to leave and go outside when I wanted to. Being a prisoner is not exactly something a child ever wants to be, yet it is exactly what I was... in my own home, and my jailers were my parents.

Still, when I went out I was attacked by people – even when I was inside I was attacked, because these people somehow always found a way – and honestly, there were so many attempts on my life that I was afraid to leave. From the day I turned two, till the day I turned six, I was attacked at least once every two months, which adds up to twenty times in four years. That's how scared they were of me, even though it was unwarranted as far as I was concerned because I'd never hurt anyone, despite what they did to me. I never wanted to hurt anyone, that's why I never did; all I ever wanted was a friend and a reason as to why everyone saw me as a monster or freak when I was just a little girl.

It was that in fact, that fear of me and what is sealed within me, that surely led my parents to try to murder me in the early morning the day after my sixth birthday – a birthday that wasn't celebrated. At least, that's what I believed anyway – it was all I let myself believe because any other reason was too painful to think about. I guess they may have feared what I might do in the end, what I might become as I got older. So, at about one am, an hour after the day of my birth ended, they led me to a never used room of our castle and my mother used her paralysing jutsu to pin me down as my father got ready to end my life as I pleaded with them not to, not understanding why it was happening because I was just a child. My mother had just said that she couldn't listen to a monster and my father said that it was for the best, that he had to do what was best for the kingdom and killing me was what was for the best – he didn't sound like himself though. It didn't seem to matter to them that I was their daughter; they only saw what they imagined resided within me.

If it hadn't been for Riku that night, who had been fourteen at the time, I would have surely died – and truthfully, a part of me did die that night because my heart was crushed because of what they'd tried to do to me, and my innocence was shattered. Riku had protected me and risked his own life in the process, but that night both my parents died, though only one by Riku's hand and that was my father Itaru. I could never forget that night, even though I desperately tried to because they night changed me in a way I never wanted to be changed. I lost nearly all of my innocence that night, and I definitely lost my love – my will to love and feeling of being loved by the people who should love me. Also, my heart had filled with a guilt I couldn't dissolve because I knew that these events left my four-year-old sister without parents (Nobu knew more about them because he was nine, he'd remember, but she would not – she may forget everything about them when she grew up) and because my brother had given up the only life he knew to save me.

Riku was forced to flee from our hidden kingdom that same night because he knew it wasn't safe for him there and even though I had vigorously begged him to take me with him as I cried, because I couldn't bear to lose him and be alone, he refused because he knew he was still far too young to protect me from the dangers we might face and too young to put me through that, even though he wanted to because he feared what would happen to me; what would become of me if I stayed in the castle without him. Instead he gave me his bronze medallion and promised that one day he'd find me again, no matter how long it took him to do that – that he would survive whatever happened next and come back for me, and when he did we would be a family. Truthfully though, I wished he'd taken me with him that day, because the pain I felt in my heart after that was ten times worse than before.

It was after he left that everyone blamed me for my parent's deaths, coming up with many different reasons as to how it was my fault, how I was to blame, and completely ignoring me when I tried to tell all of them the truth. They also saw Riku as dead too, saying I probably killed him because he just disappeared and they had no proof that he left. Apparently, they didn't understand the words 'run away'. They didn't believe that a fourteen-year-old prince would just run away. No, they thought it much more likely that a six-year-old girl who loved him somehow made him kill both our parents – they didn't want to hear the truth about what happened, especially from me – and then I killed him, if I didn't kill them myself. It didn't help that that was exactly what the king's brother, my uncle Tadao, was telling them. Of course, they were going to believe him over me, even though he hadn't been there. The logical point was missed: there was no way, with a being inside me or not, that I could have overpowered both my parents at the age of _SIX_ and killed them.

It was right after that that I was locked away in my room for an entire year by my uncle Tadao, never being able to leave it for any reason and my only contact with people was when food was brought to my room, though I stopped trying to speak to them after the first month because I knew they'd never reply. It made me wish they had locked me in the dungeons in some ways, because being able to hear them talk but never getting a reply when I tried to talk to them was torture, especially after an entire year – it felt like I was a ghost. No one cared what really happened that night with my parents, not if it was me who was trying to tell them the truth; they much preferred listening to my uncle Tadao. Even Nobu and Ayame didn't care what I had to say, they just hated me for what happened to our parents – the one time Nobu had come to talk to me was to tell me that through my door and then leaving before I could say anything. Ayame was following Nobu's lead. I begged to be released, to be listened to, but I wasn't. I was just left alone in a room with books and scrolls as my only source of material, material that stopped me from going mad.

On the one year anniversary of my parent's death – and possibly my brothers as far as everyone else was concerned – the day after my seventh birthday, my uncle Tadao came to my room and demanded I pack a bag and come with him. I already had one packed because I had been planning to find a way to escape for a long time before that, so I grabbed it willingly so I could escape and he dragged me away through the secret tunnels and out of the mountain that hides the castle and the village, and into the forest that surrounds the mountain. That's where he drove his katana into my chest from behind me, saying he was finishing the job my parents had started a year ago, and had left me there alone to die, lying on the forest floor.

I ended up surviving, which was a miracle, even though I knew it was because of what resided inside me, and heard that my uncle had gone back to the kingdom and had told everyone that he was forced to kill me after I attacked him when he had tried to stop me from escaping, meaning I would never be able to return there, not that I wanted to. Truthfully though, I wasn't sure if surviving my uncle's attack was a blessing or a god damn curse because of what happened afterwards. Especially with the pain I felt. I mean I was seven, left alone in a forest without any knowledge or skills that could help me survive on my own.

It's a true miracle though that I ended up surviving in the forest for two years by myself, especially because I was only a small child who didn't know how to fend for herself or protect herself, even after what happened to me through that time. That, as well as the fact that I was able to keep the bag I'd brought with me from the kingdom that held my copy of my family's medical knowledge, was truly remarkable because I had been chased by rogue ninja and an assassin my uncle had sent after me after he obviously learnt that I was still alive the whole time – I only got away because I hid. Also, I was turned away by most people I asked for help from because of many different reasons, so I stopped trying. I had to learn how to fend for myself, and learn how to get food, create a fire and build a shelter to protect myself from the elements. It was fair to say that I struggled to survive until I learnt how to fend for myself properly when I knew nothing basic to begin with because everything was practically done for me when I was a princess, which took a rather long time. I did all that with many injuries sustained and an event I refuse to speak of.

If it hadn't been for Kakashi-sensei, I would have most certainly died out there, but thanks to him finding me on the way back from a mission when I was badly bleeding and barely alive, taking care of me until I finally got better (physically at least) and training me a little before placing me in the care of a very old acquaintance of his, I survived and started to train to be a ninja under Tamaki sensei, or at least I sort of did. Still, that didn't erase what happened to me before that and it didn't help me get emotionally better or deal with the torment of my past.

Slowly I grew up, still feeling incredibly alone, afraid, unwanted, and unloved, and became stronger, while becoming consumed by pain that was caused by a lot of painful emotions (pain, sorrow, loneliness, fear, loss, anger and hatred, though I tried to ignore the anger and hatred). When I was twelve things got slightly better for me because Mononoke – a previously young wolf I had saved the life of when I was barely four and the daughter of the great wolf Tsukino – found me again and never left for some reason, though things got worse not long after that. We trained together as I learnt my own jutsu's and became stronger, while also searching for my long-lost brother when I was able to and being visited by Kakashi sensei every now and again on his way back from a mission. I was mainly still alone though, except for Mononoke, because Tamaki sensei went on trips constantly and was barely around, though he still trained me a little. Still, I didn't open my heart up to anyone because I was too scared to; I basically only cared about myself. I couldn't lose anyone again, go through the pain of trying to get close to anyone again, and I couldn't start caring what people thought of me again, because I'd begun to believe that I was a monster for the longest time back when I still lived in the castle and part of me still did. I never wanted to let anyone in, let anyone see just how broken I was. That's why I wore my mask (metaphorical mask) so no one saw what lied beneath the surface.

Now that I was older though, things have become worse than I had ever imagined they could, which was saying something because my life was horrible already and shouldn't have been able to get any worse than it already was. My sensei went to Orochimaru and got cursed by him in a quest for more power back when I was thirteen - Don't ask me why Orochimaru actually agreed to that, even though I could probably think of the reason Orochimaru would gain something out of doing it – and now he's out to kill me and I'm out to stop him, though for some reason he disappeared for well over a year. I hadn't seen the snake again either (Yes, I had met him, and no, it didn't go well. He'd been far too interested in what I was, not that I knew what that was or how he knew I was different.) and I was happy about that.

That's why I'm now constantly moving from place to place; I never stay in one place for more than a week. I knew I should warn Kakashi-sensei because Tamaki is also going to go after him at some point because of jealousy – probably after he killed me – but for some reason I just couldn't bring myself to do that right now. Maybe it was because I hadn't seen him since I was eleven and had changed quite a lot since then – including being incredibly strong and actually skilled now, something Tamaki didn't know. The other reason was because I just didn't want to risk seeing him again. So, I'd have to find a way to just keep moving and when Tamaki inevitably came, I'd have to kill him. I somehow always found another way, even though I had wanted to give up so many times in the past – I still did want to give up. It was hard to live a life you hated, especially when you kept being either left by or attacked with the intent to kill by the people you were foolish enough to trust. That's why I let no one in: You can't be hurt by people you care about if you care about no one.

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 **Also, I have a facebook account where I'll post pictures for this fanfiction.**


	2. Chapter 1

_Chapter One:_ **Naria's Pov**

As I slipped my black backpack onto my back – a pack that held herbs that were mostly used for antidotes and healing, weapons and scrolls, a picture of Riku and I from my sixth birthday – the day before my life really went to hell and the last day I officially had a family – and a copy my families medical book – I stared at my reflection in the old, chipped mirror that sat in the abandoned and broken down shack I had stumbled upon and been staying in for the last week, taking in my appearance for the first time in a very long time. My looks had never been something I really cared about before, mainly because I honestly wasn't that vain and didn't give a shit because they weren't all that important, and because the only people who really saw me were the people who were trying to kill me. I had lived alone in the forest for such a long time – it had been so long that I was beginning to suppress and forget what it felt like to be around people on a regular basis – so none of those normal, trivial things bothered me like they would and normally do others, especially girls my age and normally princesses too. I just couldn't bring myself to care; I had more pressing things to worry about and pretty much always had. It wasn't like I was a princess who had to look a certain way anymore.

I had been forced to get rid of my old clothing – black pants and a sky-blue elbow length zip up jacket that had a hood – about a year ago, mainly because they didn't fit anymore and were pretty badly damaged – I had absolutely no chance of repairing them again. Now I wore something that fitted my age and body better, while also was fitting for a ninja. I was wearing and usually did wear a dark blue dress that was cut short so it sat mid-thigh on me, while the top of it was basic with a small collar that was unzipped so it just showed the valley of my breasts – the silver zip went down to my waist, which is where a black belt rested – and was sleeveless. Under the dress, I wore black leggings that stopped at my knees, while I also wore black sandals that went to my ankles. I had a kunai holster strapped to my right leg that was holding two kunai and the belt that sat around my waist held two packs instead of the traditional one – I needed two instead of one because one pack held shuriken while the other held capped needles that were filled with basic antidote for poisons that were commonly used. I also wore black fingerless gloves that stopped just before my fingers knuckles, which ultimately hid my family ring that rested on my right hand – it was a ring I couldn't bear to get rid of even though being a member of that damn family had caused me absolutely nothing but pain.

"I guess it's time for us to move again." Mononoke said as she entered through the broken doorway that had no door. Mononoke is a pure white wolf of a rare kind with light blue eyes (yes, she can talk, and no, it's not weird if you know who and what she is) and, even though she was not even close to being the same height as her powerful and all-mighty mother (her mother was the great head guardian wolf Tsukino who I could now summon with my summoning jutsu if I wanted. It helped that her daughter travelled with me) and probably wouldn't get bigger for many different reasons right now, she was truthfully only a few feet shorter than me. I stood at about 163.6 centimetres I think, while her back sat at just over half that height. Still, that was from the ground up to her back and she was quiet long body ways, meaning she could carry me around and did when I was exhausted or we just decided to. We could travel by both tree and ground, no matter what, but she couldn't walk across water like I was able to.

"Yes, we've been here too long already and I want to fight Tamaki on my terms, not his." I said as I tied my straight mid back length white hair into my usual high-ish side ponytail that sat on the right side of my head, leaving my face length side fringe covering part of the left side of my face, meaning one of my very dark blue eyes was slightly covered.

"I'll scout ahead quickly then and make sure he is nowhere around." She said and even though I wanted to protest, I didn't. I knew her and knew her resolve when it came to me.

"Arigato Mononoke, I'll wait by the stream." I said and she nodded before she spun around and dashed away, her powerful strides sending vibrations through the earth. I listened carefully and heard her disappear, which involved scaring a flock of birds as she ran.

Try as I might, I couldn't bring myself to tell her to leave like I knew I should. And besides, even if I did tell her to leave because it would be safer for her, she'd just blatantly ignore me. Unlike me, she showed me in everything she did that she cared, but I don't think she knew that she's the only thing keeping me together. So, I'm stuck with her until the day I died – which could be any day now with Tamaki and all the assassins my uncle sent after my head, not that I would be complaining all that much if it did, though whenever that day did come I was not going down without a fight– or until she finally decided to or is forced to go home to her homeland; back to her siblings and mother.

I walked out of the shack, which I could hit hard without chakra infused fists and still smash to smithereens, and started towards the small stream that wasn't far away from where I was, though it was far enough away that no one would casually stumble upon me. I walked slowly as I played with my brothers' medallion, which still hung around my neck, and I probably looked like I was relaxed and without a care in the world, enjoying the morning sun that was shining through the trees, when in reality I was really just waiting. My senses were searching for any sign of an attack coming my way and I was prepared to fight if something like that arose like it constantly did. I was always ready for an attack; they came somewhat frequently, yet without any warning, so I honestly didn't know any other way of surviving, now.

That is why, when I reached my destination A.K.A the stream I had promised to rendezvous with Mononoke at, I wasn't even remotely surprised when I saw a large group of bandits standing around four tied up leaf ninja. I dumped my bag near the trees and just walked out, ignoring them despite knowing that my appearance would lead to a confrontation. I didn't give two shits what they thought of me as I ignored them as I made my way over to the water's edge, but I did take in the appearances of the three shinobi (one was definitely older than the other two) and one blonde haired kunoichi – who were all unconscious, probably due to some sort of knock-out gas that could render people unconscious quickly. I could still smell traces of something odd in the air, which proved my theory. I swear, whatever it was inside me had to be some sort of animal that had good senses – like a dog or wolf.

"Well, look what we have here. A little lamb with fleece as white as snow that has lost her way." One of the bandits said as he started to waltz over to me as I stood by the water's edge, causing me to turn around and look at him with a false sweet expression. Usually I wore an emotionless mask around people, but this lured people into thinking I was easy to attack.

"Touch me and I promise you this: You will regret it." I said sweetly, but there was a clear and untainted threat in my voice. If this man put one stubby, grubby finger on me I was going to make sure he lived to regret what I did to him.

All the _man_ (I personally wouldn't call these sorts of guys men) did however was laugh right in my face and then look back at the other bandits who were laughing too (obviously they weren't taking me seriously right now, which I would make sure they regretted if they started something I would surely finish in a very bad way... for them that is), he then turned back around and grabbed my arm roughly in his hand, causing me to sigh because now I was going to have to kick his ass. I spun my left arm around in his hand so I was now holding his forearm and channelled a great amount of chakra into my right foot, which I then slammed into his stomach so he coughed up a little blood as it made impact. He was sent hurtling back as I let go of his arm and slammed straight into three of the other men, sending all of them to the ground with a large _thump_ and a cloud of dirt that erupted from underneath them.

"You've got some guts hitting one of my men little girl!" The man I assumed was the bandit's leader said and I just looked at him, my expression becoming blank. I saw that one of the shinobi, the one with spiky brown hair that was tied up kinda like a pineapple, was slowly waking up. Well, that wasn't a very good sleeping gas they used, it starts wearing off before all traces of it even leave the air.

"I did warn him not to touch me, it's not my fault he's too stupid to listen when someone's obviously threatening him. I bet you're just like him." I bluntly said, causing the man's eye to twitch.

"Watch your mouth girl; you might offend the wrong men." He said and I just snorted, knowing that my next words would surely cause trouble, but not caring because I could handle people like this – they were nothing compared to the assassins I'd fought and sometimes killed, and they were the sort of people I hated the most.

"The only men I see here are the three men that are tied up and unconscious, men I'm sure you ambushed and knocked out with a pathetic sleeping gas so you wouldn't have to fight real, skilled shinobi in hand to hand combat because you knew they'd win. You people are nothing more than vial creatures who enjoy robbing, maiming and killing people you deem weaker than yourselves or playing dirty so you can kill people you know are better than you so you can look better than you actually are." I said, well aware that some of the men were moving through the trees so they could attack me from behind. See, what did I just say: These people love to cheat and play dirty. "Also, how is it my fault if my words offend you? If you're offended that's your own god damn problem, not mine."

"Quite opinionated I see. That's too bad." The boss said and I knew what was coming. Still, I was quite amused by the fact that this idiotic man actually knew what the word "opinionated" truly meant, let alone the fact that he said it in the correct manner and without difficultly.

"Oh really; why is that?" I asked, quite bored by this because I knew what happened next and I was prepared for it. I just wanted it to happen already so I could get this ass kicking over and done with.

"Because despite your pretty face, we're now going to have to kill you before we finish of these leaf ninja." He said and two men ran at me with swords, one from the front and one from behind. I waited for the right moment and effortlessly leapt up into the air with a burst of speed, meaning they impaled each other with their swords instead of impaling me.

 _These sorts of men never learn that just because someone is a woman, it doesn't mean she is going to be easy to kill; which was pathetic since there were female ninja._ I landed gracefully on the ground as I thought that, before standing up straight and turning to face the other men, my eyes landing on the leader's furious face. "I believe you meant to say that you are going to _try_ to kill me."

They all charged at me then and I easily began to fight them off, dodging their weapons, hits and kicks. I could summon light clones to help me in an instant, but it was much easier fighting these idiots off with nothing more than my fists, feet and a kunai, moving quickly and dodging every attack they aimed my way with quick movements – it helped that they didn't seem very skilled. Also, I wanted to prove a point to these _men_ – they couldn't just screw with whoever they wanted and get away with it. One day, someone was going to kick their asses and that day was today, the ass kicking handed down by me. The men were worse for wear as I dealt out painful blows to every single one of them, before coming face to face with the boss. It hadn't escaped my notice that the ninja were conscious now, though still out of it. One of them, the one with spiky dark brown hair, had a deep gash in his shoulder. The boss tried to drive his sword into my stomach, but I grabbed his arm, twisted his sword around while it was still in his hand and drove it all the way through one of his thighs. I then grabbed him firmly by his throat as he cried out and looked down at him as he grunted in pain, making sure he was looking directly into my eyes as he was forced to kneel in front of me.

"Now I'm going to give you a choice and you better listen closely: Leave this place now and you can live to be scum another day – until you eventually piss someone else off and they kill all your ass – or you can stay here and keep fighting me until I get to the point where I grow tired of this shit and will do practically anything to get rid of you." I said with a fierce, deadly tone before I lifted him up slightly off the ground and threw him over to his men, causing him to slide against the ground and rip up the earth. His men – the ones who weren't seriously injured and could still somehow manage the simple task of standing and handling someone else – went to his side. "Take option number one, it'll end better for you."

"The fact that you say that proves that you're too gutless to kill us." The boss snarled as he coughed up some blood (I had hit him pretty hard in the chest before, I was sure that he was suffering from some sort of internal bleeding, as well as the fact that he was losing massive amounts of blood from his leg, and I couldn't care less) and I stayed emotionless.

"There is a very big difference between not having the guts to kill someone and not being bothered killing because you don't want to. Right now, I can't be bothered killing any of your pathetic asses because you just aren't worth it and I really don't want my conscience bugging me, but that doesn't mean that I won't and can't change my mind in an instant. I'm not afraid to kill; I wouldn't have become a ninja if I was." I said seriously and even though I saw the leader wanted to get up and fight me again (male pride is one of the most ridiculous and stupidest things in the world, hands down and without contest), but apparently, his men weren't so willing to die because of his dumb pride.

"Let's go boss." One guy said and before long they were gone, dragging their furious boss away with them, though how long some of them would survive after this was undetermined. I knew for a fact that some of them weren't going to; they were far too injured because they had been stupid enough to pick a fight with me and it wasn't that easy to determine whether or not you had internal bleeding.

I let out a sigh and turned to the leaf ninja who seemed to be pretty aware of what was going on now and nearly free of the rope that bound them. I went over and easily cut the rope with the kunai from my thigh holster, only to then slip off my glove and hold it over the injured one's shoulder as they all stared at me with a mixture of emotions on their faces. My healing chakra caused the wound to close up after a while, though didn't repair the damage done to the clothing. I could tell that they were unsure as to what they should make of me, not that I was bothered by what they thought. Still, I understood why: It was understandable after what they just saw me do.

I stood up once the one who was injured was healed and pulled my glove back on (I didn't need to take it off, but it was habit now).

"Thanks for helping us out." The oldest of the group said and I turned around to look at him, shrugging slightly.

"You don't thank me; all I did was teach them a well-deserved lesson because they pissed me off. You probably could have gotten out of that yourselves." I replied before I went back to the trees and grabbed my pack.

"So, what you're saying is you probably wouldn't have helped us if they hadn't pissed you off?" The girl (she had light blonde hair and blue eyes) and I turned around again, keeping my mask up.

"No, I still would have helped because I don't like people like that. I knew they were here and had captured people before I even arrived, it was my choice to make myself known to them." I said, mainly because it was sort of the truth. I had a thing for helping leaf ninja, partly because Kakashi was one. "Plus, not that it really matters; it's not exactly my first time helping out leaf ninja."

"You've helped leaf ninja before." The spiky brown haired one said and I looked at him properly, taking in his appearance and picturing him younger.

I sighed. "I believe I've secretly helped one of the teams you have been on, a few years back. If I remember correctly it was called the "Rescue Sasuke" mission or something according to the loud mouth Naruto, two of the members got severely injured by those stupid sound ninja." I explained, which seemed to surprise them – maybe it was because I knew about Naruto and Sasuke.

"Wait, you helped Neji and Chōji?" The girl asked and I noticed the other guy (he had very long brown hair, swirls on his cheeks and was larger in size) was just staring at me.

"I'll assume that was their names since I have no way of knowing. All I did was make sure that they'd at least stay alive until they got back to your village, not that I know if they did or not – I happen to be good at medical Ninjutsu. Also, I owe someone in that village my life and it was a member of his team who your team was after so it caught my interest." I said, not sure why I was still explaining all of this. I wished Mononoke would just arrive so I could leave.

"So, you saved one of my student's lives and you know Kakashi." The oldest man said and now I realized the guy who was staring at me was the first boy I'd found unconscious that day. "Can I know your name?" He asked and I sighed.

"It's Yukina Naria." I said, slightly tired of this conversation. I wanted to go and I really wished Mononoke would hurry up now because I wanted to leave before something happened. I had a bad feeling something was going to happen soon.

"I'm Sarutobi Asuma, and this is my team." The leader said and he pointed to the pineapple haired shinobi. "This is Nara Shikamaru." I had heard the name Shikamaru that day. Asuma pointed at the kunoichi. "Yamanaka Ino." He then pointed at the other guy, whose name I assumed was Neji or Chōji. "And Akimichi Chōji, the one you apparently helped save."

"Well, well, well, isn't this interesting." I heard a taunting voice say before I could speak and I swung around with slightly wide eyes, looking up into the tree where the voice had originated from to see none other than Tamaki standing there looking smug. Damn it, I was so focused on talking to them that I didn't hear or sense him approaching even though I should have.

"You asshole, what the hell are you so smug about?" I demanded through gritted teeth. This was the last _bloody thing_ I wanted happening right now.

"Let's just say that I now see why you avoid people. This has to be the first time that I've seen you let your guard down; normally you would have sensed me coming from a mile away." He replied just as smugly and I wanted to jump up there and kill him right now, despite not wanting to get angry,

"That won't stop me from killing you right now." I seethed, only to remember that I was not the only one here. It also reminded me that Mononoke had been checking for him. "What the hell did you do to Mononoke?" I demanded.

"Your pet wolf is fine; she's just following a false trail right now." He answered calmly, then he smirked. "Besides, I don't intend to do what both the snake and I want and kill you right now. First, I'd like to send Kakashi a message."

"What message?" The man, Asuma, said from behind me and now I clenched my fists. Damn it, I had been trying so hard to keep Kakashi out of this and now he'd find out. This was just my damn luck; nothing ever went bloody right for me.

"That despite everything he did, this girl's life became worse than it was when he found her and he found her when she was nearly dead. He screwed up leaving her in my care and got another person wanting her dead when she turned down Lord Orochimaru. Please tell Kakashi that." He said and now I got what he was up to. Was he really trying to reel Kakashi in, because if that was true he'd be killed by me right now? Oh wait, I was going to kill him anyway.

"You sadistic basted, what exactly are you trying to prove?! You may have been my sensei, even if you were kinda a shit one who only taught me a little, but I have no qualms about killing you or that creepy weirdo snake, if I have to." I snapped, mainly so he got my point. "Whatever message you want Kakashi to get, he's not getting it and if I have it my way, he'll never have to see your face again."

He just smirked and suddenly threw a kunai at me, which I caught by the handle easily before it hit me. "Why'd you throw something you knew I'd catch?" I asked before I could stop myself. He didn't make sense.

"Because I knew you'd catch it instead of dodging it." He said and that's when I felt something wrong. I turned around my hand and opened it, letting the kunai fall out which revealed the tiny spikes scattered along the handle that I assumed was coated in poison, meaning the poison had already entered my blood stream because the spikes had pierced the flesh of my palm. That jerk had poisoned me. "See Naria, I don't want them to just tell Kakashi what I said, I want them to show him. See, you won't be able to cure that poison by yourself, it'll take hold far too quickly and you don't have an antidote already prepared for this one, meaning the only one who can help you now is Lady Tsunade."

Despite the fact that I wanted to leap up into that tree and obliterate that man, maybe break every bone in his body a billion times over (I know that's impossible, but I was now mad and wanted to make him pay), I collapsed onto my knees as the pain took over. It was shooting up from the palm of my hand and didn't stop until it went through my entire arm and got to my chest. I was already sweating and my vision was beginning to blur as my breathing began to turn laboured. "You absolute basted." I seethed as someone knelt beside me – I believe it was the girl Ino.

"Ah, so now you're getting it. I saw you helping them and finally found my way to tell Kakashi that I am coming for him, so now he'll know that after I kill you I will come for him. It was a bother to do it this way because of all the planning, but you weren't being cooperative." Tamaki said before he took off quickly.

"Should we go after him?" I think that one called Chōji asked.

"Not now, we need to get her to Lady Tsunade." Asuma said and I wanted to protest, but I wasn't stupid. Whether I liked it or not, I was going to the leaf village and I was going to have to face Kakashi. With that uncomfortable thought, I collapsed and became unconscious.


	3. Chapter 2

**I thought I just write a warning to anyone who is reading this that I will be writing this story as I watch the anime, so once I run out of pre-written chapters I'll have to continue watching Naruto Shippuden to write more. Hope you enjoy.**

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 _Chapter Two:_ **Naria's Pov**

The first thing I immediately realized as I became conscious was that I was lying on a slightly uncomfortable bed (it was still better than sleeping on the forest floor) which meant that I was no longer in the forest and that I was probably now in Konohagakure. The second thing I realized, once the fog in my head cleared up, was that there was someone in the room that I was in with me and I had a feeling that I knew exactly who that person was. When I found Tamaki, the cursed ass, and I was most definitely going to find him sooner or later, I was going to make his life a living hell before I eventually killed him, I can guaran-damn-tee it because I know all too well what a living hell is.

Knowing this was inevitable and that I didn't stand a chance of getting away right now – plus, I did not run away from anyone or anything anymore, I refused to – I opened my eyes and turned my head to the right of the hospital room I was in, seeing Kakashi leaning against the window with one of the books the perverted sage had written in his hand.

I slowly pulled myself up in the bed, feeling a little sore and exhausted (not that that bothered me, I had a lot of stamina and was quite adapt at working hard and not resting for long periods of time; plus, I never really properly slept and was used to feeling tired all the time) and Kakashi realized I was awake. He hadn't changed one bit since I last saw him – he even still wore that mask of his, which he had another mask under it. I won't even get into that.

"How are you feeling?" He asked me and I shrugged as I pulled the cover off. I was still in my clothes, but my hair was undone, my sandals were removed along with my jewellery and my gloves had been taken off.

"I'm fine." I stated, not caring whether it was the truth or not. All I wanted to do was get up and get out of here so I could hunt down Tamaki, finding Mononoke on the way, and kick his ass.

"The Hokage wants to talk to you." Kakashi said as I stood up and pulled up my sandals, causing me to temporarily become a statue. Oh great, _just great._

"Why?" I asked, my voice guarded now. There was a reason I had come to prefer the forest, even if it was unimaginably lonely living out there. If I was out there the only person I had to answer to was myself (I have a problem with authority and no, I probably won't stop having a problem with people in power until I meet one who doesn't use and abuse people and their position to get what they want, not that my own father did that.)

"I think you know why Naria, it's probably one of the reasons you didn't tell me about Tamaki." He said as I continued not to look at him as I placed my gloves and jewellery in my bag, which was beside the bed. That was one of the reason's, especially since I knew that the Godiame Hokage Lady Tsunade had been teammates with Orochimaru and wanted to know what he was up to, but I wasn't going to tell Kakashi that anytime soon.

"I didn't tell you about Tamaki because you didn't need to know, it's as simple as that. I'm quite capable of killing him myself." I simply stated with no emotion what-so-ever present in my voice. I didn't want him involved in this, I mean he saved my life so I didn't want to cause him to feel guilt by telling him that the man he left me with did a shit job of taking care of me and was now ready to kill me with the help of his curse mark.

"I see you've tried to become someone who doesn't care what anyone thinks of her and doesn't want anyone caring about her, and I understand why." He said and I turned around to face him now, part of my mask cracking to reveal my angry and hurt side.

"Don't you say you understand, because you don't Kakashi sensei!" I snapped, seeing surprise in his eye because I'd never gone off at him. When we first met, I didn't talk and even when I started I talked very little. " _Every single person_ I have _ever_ trusted in my life has either left me or has tried to kill me, so unless that's happened to you I don't want to hear you say the word ' _understand'._ I know you haven't had it easy in life, but still." I tried to calm down a little – didn't work that well. "I've accepted that I drew the short stick in life and that my life will probably continue to suck up until the day I die with the way things have gone so far, but accepting that does not stop the pain of being betrayed, attacked and abandoned any less painful – even though I should be used to it by now."

"So, you've stopped believing that your life can become better." Kakashi said and I nodded.

"I used to believe it, back when you saved me and gave me a purpose to keep going, but Tamaki has ruined that belief and I have seen nothing since he joined Orochimaru to believe otherwise." I said and even I knew his expression was grim. He had once told me not to give up hope, but it was really hard to do that now.

Every day it felt like I was suffocating because of the indescribable pain I was in and had been in for years. It didn't matter how strong or powerful I became, the pain didn't lessen, it only got worse. Mononoke helped and she was probably the one thing that kept me sane and on the right path, but even she couldn't remove the pain that had imbedded itself in my heart and mind. It was so bad that I struggled with the thought of killing myself every-single-day and yet somehow, I honestly don't know how I did it; I managed to let that thought stay just a thought and kept living the lonely life I had lived for years. Emotional pain and abuse is just as bad as physical pain and abuse. Worse actually! You can heal broken bones, I did it quite often and had a strange healing ability; you can't heal a broken heart and mind that easily, if at all.

"So, the reason you didn't tell me is that you don't trust me?" Kakashi asked and now I let out a humourless laugh, looking at him dead in his one eye since his other was covered.

"Actually, it's quite the opposite. I didn't tell you because I do trust you." I said, seeing as he probably did deserve at least part of the truth. I could see that he was slightly confused. "Like I said Kakashi, everyone I have ever trusted has either left me, hurt me or tried to kill me; I didn't want you to be the next person to do it because I want to continue trusting you. I can act tough because of my abilities and skills, but I am still afraid Kakashi and I probably always will be."

He seemed to understand my reasoning, but found a problem with it. "I did already leave you though; I left you with Tamaki and look what happened."

I sighed, taking down my mask a little more so he saw the truth. "Don't you dare blame yourself for what he did, he has his own mind and he was the one who decided to go to Orochimaru so he could get power and kill me – which means I'm gonna' kill him first so he can't do that – point is, it wasn't your fault. Also, you had to leave and I get that. I may be hurt, but I'm not blind to the truth or unreasonable. This is your home and your life has and always will be here, you had to return and I certainly couldn't come here with you."

"How did Orochimaru even find out about you? I'm assuming the reason he is after you has got something to do with what you are." Kakashi said and while he was right, he wasn't getting an answer to that because someone slammed open the door to the room the moment he finished asking.

I turned around, not really giving a shit who it could be, and came face to face with a blonde-haired woman with a hard gleam in her brown eyes. I knew who it was; it was actually pretty obvious that it was Lady Tsunade – the Godiame Hokage. I had never met her before today obviously and yet I knew about her because of who she was, the famous Sannin who was known as the most powerful kunoichi and practically the greatest medical-ninja around. Behind her stood another woman with short black hair.

"That is exactly what I would like to know." Lady Tsunade said and I had a feeling that my day was going to get even worse. I could easily run off and not tell her what I knew, but then again, I'd probably have leaf ninja on my ass and that is the last thing I wanted, especially if they were ANBU. I don't know if Kakashi told her. "I'd quite like to know who you are and I'd like you to tell me as Kakashi has already told me that the third Hokage knew who you were."

"I'm assuming I don't have a choice in this." I said and I could tell by the look in her eyes that I didn't. I could still get away, but I wasn't in the mood to try. "Fine, I'm used to not having a choice. Still, can I know if Mononoke is here?" I asked.

"Mononoke?" Lady Tsunade asked and I think she realized who I meant, which meant she was here. "The wolf is in the forest outside the village, she was waiting for you to wake up."

"Okay, then I guess it's time to talk." I said, because I'd accepted that this needed to happen. I wasn't frilled about it, but I didn't feel like pissing of the Hokage – I was nowhere near stupid enough to piss off her.

 **\- Line Breaker -**

After we made our way to the Hokage tower and into Lady Tsunade's office I was told to sit down and that is when I explained everything like she asked me to – alright, I explained everything that she actually needed to know about me and about Orochimaru, I left out all of the gory details about my life that she didn't really need to know about. She listened to it all, so did the woman that I now knew was called Shizune, and neither one of them interrupted me as I talked and explained who I was. Kakashi was also in the room, but he was more focused on the Icha-Icha book of his than anything else. How he could read that perverted Sages books was a mystery to me.

"It is hard to believe that you are the princess of the kingdom of dreams, however it does make sense. I've heard many rumours about that place and about the head family." Lady Tsunade said and I said nothing because there was nothing left for me to say. I was quite curious about what rumours she was talking about though. "Alright, I have a proposition for you and I want you to listen before protesting Princess Yukina Naria. I'm assuming you know how to do that."

"Alright, but do not call me princess... please. I really don't like it, being a part of that family is not something I'm particularly proud of after everything that happened." I replied because I honestly hated being called Princess Naria or Naria-hime, I had since I was seven and my life had become one that was debatably not worth living. I had even slightly disliked it before that. Still, I was quite surprised how hard it was for me to say please, but also that I didn't mind talking to Lady Tsunade.

"Fine then; now back to what I wanted to talk about. I would like you to remain here in the village for the time being." She said and I wanted to protest but she held up her hand to quiet me and I shut my mouth. "You agreed to listen so stay quiet and let me finish. I want you to stay here and, after I speak with the council and you have gone through some tests to prove your skills as a ninja and a medical-ninja, I would like you to go on missions for the village as long as I feel that it's safe."

"What?!" I asked, my mask falling out of place and my shock becoming evident on my face.

"I believe you heard me. If Orochimaru really wants you dead because of what you are and because you refused him, then you being here may give us a chance to find him; it means that you going on missions will be dangerous, but I have a feeling that won't bother you. Also, Asuma told me that you have considerable skills from what he saw. Not only that but, with Naruto currently off training with Jiraiya and Sasuke with Orochimaru, we could use the help of a skilful ninja right now." She said and I just stared at her. Was I really hearing her right, she wanted me to stay here and go on missions with the teams of this village?

"You want me to stay in the village, even though you know that I'm... different and that I have bloodthirsty assassins coming after me who will massacre anyone who gets in their way, though some are just idiots lured in by money." I said, because I was not used to this. Usually people drove me away for no apparent reason other than the fact that I was different, I think; it had happened a lot before - back when I was younger. It still happened now, although now it was mainly because I made myself seem unapproachable so people would stay the hell away from me.

"Yes, I gathered that. Still, I'd like you to stay here, though I'm quite sure that if you don't want to stay you won't and I won't be able to stop you either, no matter what I do. I won't force you to stay however, though I think you should consider it. Leaving the forest for a while might be good for you." She said and I thought about it, knowing Kakashi would have an opinion if I just automatically said no without thinking it through. "Also, any assassin would have to be incredibly stupid or cocky to even think of attacking you here."

I wasn't comfortable around people anymore, I'd admit that. Living out in the forest, I was isolated and more to the point, even if I saw people out there they never saw me. I didn't know how to act around people, the last time I'd spent time around a lot of people was when I was barely six – and eight/nine if I was being truthful – and that hadn't gone well. I was happier with animals and Mononoke these days, not humans; humans were complicated while animals were much simpler when it came to everything. Still, I couldn't deny that I was lonely and that the forest was starting to drive me loopy. As much as I enjoyed being outside all the time, being in the heart of nature and being away from people who could hurt me, it was doing nothing to quench my loneliness or develop my people skills. I was scared though. It was like I was in an endless battle with the world; I wanted to fit in but I was afraid of being rejected – in the end I had come to accept my loneliness because there was no way I could change it. People were afraid of me and they might continue to be, but should I let that stop me now that I had a chance to do something that didn't involve just protecting myself. Could I go through the pain of being feared; could I be seen as a monster again by other people after what had happened to me within my own village? Would people actually see me as a monster?

"What would the conditions be?" I asked slowly after a while, which I noticed surprised Kakashi-sensei quite a lot – even though it was hard to tell with that mask of his _._ Huh, so he hadn't been expecting me to agree or even think of agreeing.

"I can't say what all of them will be right now, but I can say that I will need to do a physical exam to assess your health and you'd need to do some tests so your stats can be determined. I'd also like you to show me your skills as a medical-ninja and prove you're fighting skills in a fight or test against Kakashi – that will be his decision to make." She said and the funny thing is that I had no problem with those conditions and, even though I didn't know what the main conditions would be, I could agree to them for now.

"For now, I'll agree, as long as Mononoke can stay with me if she wants to." I said and Lady Tsunade nodded.

"I cannot see why she can't considering Akamaru is her size now, so yes, she can stay. I'll find you somewhere to stay by the end of the day and tomorrow we can begin the tests, then once I know you're fine you can go against Kakashi." She said and I sighed.

"I can stay in the forest, it doesn't bother me. I've been living there since childhood." I replied since I could honestly care less. It didn't matter to me where I stayed; I guess you could sort of call me a nomad – I didn't stay in one place for very long and I never had a place to call home.

"No, since I'm asking you to stay I'll find you an apartment. Now, you can leave and I'll send Shizune to find you when I've found a place, so try to make it easy for her to find you. I'll assume you'll be in the forest." Lady Tsunade said and I nodded before bowing (I had been a princess – even if I did want to forget it – so I did know how to be respectful to people who deserved respect and were in positions of power. I might not like people in power, but I wasn't foolish. Plus, I'd also been taught to respect my elders and Lady Tsunade didn't seem to be like other people I had met.)

I left her office via the window and quickly took off via rooftop, knowing that I could easily track down Mononoke and that she'd smell me before I even reached her. I had a lot to tell her now and would see if she was okay with it; she probably would be since she wanted me to try to find some non-existent happiness. She was a wolf however and despite the fact that she could speak, she was wild; then again so was I. I couldn't exactly call myself normal – first I was a princess who was taught to do things regally until she was 6 and then I became a forest child who evolved into a ninja who can kill people.

 **Tsunade's Pov**

As Naria leapt out the window I still wasn't sure what to make of her. She was not the type of person I was used to dealing with. She seemed to have a wild side to her (the irony of a princess being so wild was actually laughable, especially considering where she was born and whose daughter she was) and didn't seem to care much for authority figures from how she spoke (not that I could blame her), though she still acted politely towards me. However, I think her politeness was something she had surely learnt before she was thrown from her home, so it was most likely because of that. Kakashi seemed surprised by her actions, which made me wonder how much she'd changed since he last saw her.

"What do you think Kakashi?" I asked and he sighed. He hadn't needed to deal with students for well over two years with Naruto being gone, Sasuke abandoning the village and going with Orochimaru and Sakura training with me. Now one I didn't even know existed had turned up out of nowhere with a secret that even he didn't know about.

"She's changed." He said and I smiled slightly.

"What, she wasn't this charming before with her emotionless expression and cold and aloof attitude?" I asked and I saw that he didn't seem to care about the heavy sarcasm in my voice. I probably shouldn't be doing it since the girl's past was obviously horrible, but when I had asked what he thought I had wanted more than a two-word answer.

"Actually yes, Naria never used to be that cold; she was just sad and terrified back then – back then she was desperately clutching to the innocence of a child despite being so broken inside. She's more opinionated than she used to be too and today was the first day she actually talked to me properly. She was yelling, but still. She used to have some hope in her eyes that things could get better, now there's nothing but pain. She's given up thinking she can have a good life, she's accepted her loneliness and pain." He said and I was surprised by how serious he sounded, which is when I realized why. Despite my decision, I had a feeling this girl was going to cause some trouble around here.

"You blame yourself for what's happening to her now." I said and I knew I was right.

"Yes, but she'd probably hit me if she knew that, because she doesn't blame me. She may have a temper now, but she only puts blame where blame is due. The point is, when Orochimaru came here I should have warned her to be careful about where she went and what she did in the forest; I also should have never left her with Tamaki." He said and I had to wonder exactly what had happened between the two of them through their two months together when she was a child. What, other than the fact that she had a powerful being within her, made this girl _so_ appealing to Orochimaru?

"Well she's here now; we can make sure she's safe." Shizune said and even I knew that that wasn't true. If people were to find out that Naria was like Naruto safe would be the last thing she was, even if she wasn't a Jinchūriki like Naruto and Gaara were. Also, she had assassins after her and a cursed sensei.

"That's the one thing no one can do actually, she's never going to feel safe until she stops holding onto the past." Kakashi said and I wondered for the first time what having her here would do. From the looks of Kakashi, he hoped it would help her and not make things worse.

 **Naria's Pov**

I found Mononoke quite easily and the first thing she did when I reached her was tackle me to the ground, licking me (she was a wolf after all and she showed affection the way dogs do) as I tried to stop her. I was glad I'd taken off my backpack when I'd reached my location, otherwise she'd be in trouble.

"I'm okay, so you can stop now." I said as I got her off me and got up off the ground, running a hand over her head, her rough fur running over the palm of my hand and through my fingers. "We need to talk."

"Why is it I don't like the sound of that?" She asked and I knelt down in front of her so that my face was level with hers.

"Just know that this doesn't have to apply to you." I said because I didn't want her to feel inclined to stay with me if she didn't want to stay in the village. "The fifth Hokage has asked me to remain in the village and I agreed. I'll have to do some tests, but she's even thinking of sending me on missions as well later on... depending on how things go."

"You're willing to stay here?" She asked in surprise and I realized that even she thought I wanted to avoid people all together – I mean I did, but still.

"Yes, but that doesn't mean you have to stay with me. I'll understand..." She cut me off my jumping at me and knocking me to the ground again. I could have easily gotten her off me but she was the one person (even if she was really a wolf) that I didn't want to hurt.

"Naria, I didn't travel all the way from my homeland when I was still tiny to find you and be with you only to leave when you finally choose to stay in a village." She said, her light blue eyes fixated on my night blue ones. "I chose to come and protect you so I am not going anywhere until I have no other choice, even if living in a village will be as strange for me as I'm sure it will be for you. I just want to see you happy."

"Who says I'm happy about it?" I asked and she let out a humorous bark as she got off of me and allowed me to sit up.

"No one, but unlike you I have to hope for the best. I don't want you to be miserable for the rest of your life." She said. "Funnily enough, you may have to work on your people skills, they aren't like animals."

I glared at her. "Very funny." I said and she smiled widely, showing me all her sharp teeth and I just sighed as I flipped myself up and walked to get my bag. "Well, I guess we'll be staying here."

"Let the fun begin." She muttered under her breath, but I still heard her. At that I probably would have smiled if I could remember how. She knew what I was like and I was _not_ good with people. So yes, let the _fun_ of me becoming a part of village life begin.

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 **Please leave me a review if you like. I love hearing people's opinions, but don't purposely be rude.  
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	4. Chapter 3

Chapter Three: **Naria's Pov**

I walked through the village, following Shizune to a store where I could buy food to keep in the apartment I was about to move in to – how weird that was to think. I'd be renting it – it was a good thing that I had earned money from doing odd chores once in a while for people in the past and had hardly spent any of it; plus, the money I had since I was thrown out from my kingdom – and while it came with all of the other things I'd apparently need to live here, it did not come with food. Mononoke was walking calmly beside me as we walked through the busy and vibrant village and was earning quite a few looks, not that she seemed to notice. She was more focused on me with concern in her eyes, probably because of the looks I too was earning. I wasn't bothered by those looks though; looks of curiosity were something I could handle rather easily.

We came to a store and I stopped dead, which Shizune noticed instantly and turned to look at me. "Naria, are you alright?" She asked, until she obviously noticed my gaze on the store and put the pieces together. "You've never been inside a store before, have you?" She asked. I was still confused as to why she was being so helpful.

I shook my head. "Only a few times." I answered, because I wasn't sure what it was I was supposed to do. To think, I could do what I needed to do as a ninja and much more (being a ninja was simple and natural to me, despite my previous upbringing), but when it came to the normal and mundane I was clueless. There was no need for trivial things like this when you live in the forest, if you want food out there you eat fruit, berries and meat (mainly fish), as well as vegetables. And back in the kingdom, everything was brought to me by other people. The only time I had gone into a store was when I had to get knew clothes.

"But you've been to villages before, right?" She asked and I shrugged.

"I've passed through them but never stayed in any of them." I admitted and she smiled before taking my hand in hers, surprising me even though I would never admit it and didn't show it on my face. I had the urge to pull my hand out of her grasp, but suppressed it.

"Then I'll help you, but Mononoke will have to wait here." She said and I saw Mononoke smile. It didn't take a genius to see that she found this amusing – a human that didn't understand these sorts of things.

"That's something I can do easily." Mononoke said and I glared slightly at her as I was led into the store by Shizune. She was enjoying this far too much.

 **\- Line breaker -**

After nearly an hour I left the store with the food I needed and all the things Shizune pointed out I should buy since I was no longer in the forest and was now going to be staying in an apartment. It had taken a long time because I knew nothing about anything, especially products and processed food – I refused to buy the inorganic and processed foods. To be honest, I was incredibly grateful to Shizune because the only thing I had been in that store was confused – she helped me a lot and I actually felt sort of bad about not showing that gratefulness.

It didn't take us long to get to the apartment where I met the old land lady who owned it, before being led upstairs to the second floor. Shizune unlocked the door for me and we went in, which is when I placed the bags down and looked around. The first room was simple; it was a kitchen and sitting area. They both had pale yellow walls and old wood floors. The kitchen consisted of a small table and some chairs, a bench, a fridge and of course cabinets. There were also some old seats in another small area. There was a doorway leading to the other area.

Shizune placed down what she was holding. "It may not be what you're used to and I know it's a little run down but..."

"It's fine." I stated to get her to stop because I wasn't overly fussed. It was a hell of a lot better than any other place I'd stayed in since I was six, so I really wasn't going to complain about it. "Thank you."

"Well, I'll leave you to settle in; all I need you to do is remember to be at the hospital by ten tomorrow." She said and I just nodded again, before beginning to put the food away in the cupboards and the fridge.

I heard her leave as I put things away – it was mainly fruit, vegetables and meat, so they mostly went in the fridge – and I felt Mononoke's eyes on me the entire time. She wouldn't desist as I worked and honestly, it both annoyed me and reassured me. I moved around quickly and finished in minutes, before heading into the bedroom with my backpack and another shopping bag. The bedroom had pale green walls – a somewhat familiar colour since I lived in the forest – and wood floors. There was a single bed (it was going to be an experience, sleeping in a bed again), a bedside table and a chest of drawers in the room. I carefully dumped my backpack on the bed and then randomly dumped the bathroom stuff in the bathroom, not taking much note of it.

I went back into the bedroom and over to my pack as Mononoke laid quietly on the floor. I opened it and pulled out my family medical book, placing it in the draw of my bedside table. I then grabbed out the photo of Riku and I as children – as well as my necklace and ring, and placed them on top of the bedside table. I had clothes now, to sleep in, so I put them away in a draw along with casual clothes – apparently walking around in my ninja clothes all the time was ridiculous in a village. I then set off to do everything else that I needed to do.

 **\- Line breaker -**

Not half an hour later I was finished with setting up my new apartment – for convenience – and I was grateful to be done. My medicinal herbs and other things that also have medicinal proprieties were now stored properly in a kitchen cupboard; that meant I would be able to reach them easily and create medicine and antidotes if needed. My extra weapons and the scrolls and books I had brought on the way here from a store I'd come across were now away in the other two draws of the chest of draws. I was now lying on the bed, which had brown covers, with Mononoke behind me. My back was resting against her body and my hand was slowly running through the fur that rested on her head; this was normally how we were back when we were alone in the forest at night.

"Naria, are you afraid?" Mononoke asked me suddenly and hesitantly and I knew what she meant; I also knew that there was honestly no point in lying to her. She knew pretty much everything about me anyways, so why bother trying. I mean she didn't know all the horrors of my past – mainly because there were too many to actually speak of, but she knew enough.

"I'm always afraid." I admitted frailly, because it was the painful truth, despite how strong and confident I appear on the outside. I was being hunted all the time and everyone who had ever found out I was the host of some unknown being had become afraid of me or had tried to kill me. That's not exactly going to make a person feel safe, especially when moving to a village that had a hell of a lot of people in it. "But, answering your real question; yes, I'm afraid. Despite the fact that I'm used to it now, I don't want the past to repeat itself. I may be somewhat deadly now, at least to the people who try to hurt or kill me, but I don't want to be feared again in that "she's a killer monster" way. If I can, I want to try to make something of myself and I can't do that out in the forest, but maybe I can do it here. I wanna' help people."

Mononoke looked at me. "Do you think they'll treat you that way if they find out about you?" She asked and I sighed.

"I don't know; and it's honestly not something I want to worry about until I have to. From what Kakashi told me years ago, Naruto wasn't treated right because of what he is, so I guess we'll see what ends up happening." I answered before I turned and rested my head against hers. I doubted I'd get much sleep tonight; I never slept properly and when I just so happened to it wasn't well because I was plagued with nightmares of the past. I always woke up a little tired, no matter what I did.

 _ **The Next Day**_

I slowly pulled my dress up my body, placing my arms in the holes, and pulled my hair out from under it before I zipped it up slowly, looking over at Lady Tsunade. So, that's what a necessary physical exam was. Next came the test with Kakashi tomorrow and then other tests. I felt a little like a lab rat, but I wasn't going to complain. I'd been through worse in the past and so far, I wasn't being criticised for who I was and what I was, which Lady Tsunade could easily do because having me here would undoubtedly bring trouble.

"Alright, you're free to go now." Lady Tsunade said and I nodded. I had found out the terms the council thought appropriate and they weren't bad; they were not something that made me happy either but I wasn't going to complain about it for the time being. "Oh, and Naria, I'd like you to consider working here part time."

"I can do that." I agreed easily; I liked being a healer and it was... well we can call it a passion. Also, I knew she would ask that of me because she had seen my skill earlier. That was what we did first.

 **Tsunade's Pov**

I watched Naria leave quietly before I looked back down at the notes I had written earlier, slightly concerned about what I had learnt. She was a skilful medical ninja; better than most who were much older than she was and her skills in poisons and antidotes, as well as medicines, was amazing. She understood some things that I didn't until I was older than fifteen and yet she had already mastered some of them without a teacher – then again, she did grow up in a forest so she had access to herbs, plants, flowers and much more and had a book that had a lot of informational texts she could study for guidance. Her mother and grandmother may have lacked in the personality department and were rude people, but they were talented. Still, her talent with medicinal herbs was clearly something she developed on her own, which proved her passion.

"Lady Tsunade." Shizune said as she entered the room and closed the door behind her, before walking over to me. "What are the results of Naria's exam?"

I sighed. "She's incredibly fit and her health is immaculate, there's nothing wrong with her. She barely has a scar on her; there are only two clearly visible ones – one on her chest that corresponds to the one on her back." I explained. Naria's health, it was better than most in the village. Her muscles were toned and firm from years of training, her organs weren't corrupted with toxins and chemicals from processed foods and her eyesight and other senses were advanced. It was hard to believe really – they were practically animalistic. However, there was one problem I came upon that was the reason for my concern.

"Then why do you seem so concerned?" Shizune asked me and I placed down the chart. It was hard to think what that girl must have done to herself, and what other people had obviously done to her.

"There were some... things I didn't like. For one, it seems that she hasn't slept properly in years, whether it's due to insomnia or maybe "Dream anxiety disorder", I don't know because she refused to answer." I explained. I wasn't surprised she couldn't sleep well; if at all, because she'd been in danger for years and had always had to watch her back day and night. "She also has some ware to her body, ranging from a young age. Her training... it must have been horrendous and painful, not to mention tiring. She must have trained continuously."

"Like for more than a day?" Shizune asked and I shook my head.

"No; I mean for maybe four days straight at the longest. She has no scars, but I could tell. She must have trained herself till she collapsed more than once and trained herself to withstand large amounts of pain so she could keep going after sustaining injuries." I replied.

I didn't know the girl, but something like this was bound to worry anyone. The thought of a child training herself in such a critical way made me worry about just what she'd dealt with in the forest and just how strong she physically was now. It also made me wonder what her mind was like; what emotional state she was in. She risked a lot, especially because she was basically alone and if something serious had have gone wrong she could have died.

Shizune gasped. "That's horrible; why would anyone do that to themselves?"

"I don't know, but now that she's staying here I hope to find out who possibly wants her and what happened in her past, because I don't think that damage was purely done by her." I said and Shizune smiled.

Still, that wasn't completely true, the part about not knowing why Naria would do something like that. She has spent most of her life being hunted and I had a feeling that she was mistreated in her kingdom despite the fact that she was the princess. People's minds can change due to fear and she made it clear that they feared her – people would mistreat a small child if the fear was strong enough, or the hate

"So, the council isn't against her staying?" She asked and I snorted, rubbing my temples because I still had a little bit of a headache. The council had had some problems with my choice and weren't afraid to be vocal about them either.

"They had problems with it, but in the end, they agreed because it was mostly my choice, as long as I assigned her a teacher – or as they said it, watcher – to watch over her and make sure she isn't an enemy. It can't be Kakashi though, and that's something I decided. Now all I have to do is find a shinobi who can handle her." I said. People wondered why I drank.

Not only did I want to find a Jounin who could handle someone as powerful and shut off as Naria, but I hoped to also find someone who could be good for her. I didn't want a stuffy or strict Jounin; she wouldn't change a bit and would probably become worse if I did that. The type of person Naria probably needed was someone who'd annoy her. I just had to hope she didn't get angry with any sensei she had. Truth is, I didn't trust her yet, but I wanted to because I think someone trusting her instead of fearing her would help also.

 **Naria's Pov**

I walked out of the hospital and began causally walking around town, knowing that Mononoke was off doing something I couldn't convince her not to do. She was running around the village and the outskirts of the village, making sure that Tamaki was nowhere around – it was better than her going back to where I was attacked and trying to track him down. Mononoke was fierce and could hold her own, but I didn't want her facing him one on one now that he was cursed and one of the biggest pains in the ass under the sun. I'd never admit it out loud, but I was worried about her and the last thing I wanted was to lose her to him.

That's when I heard someone trip ahead of me and I looked to see a bunch of boxes on the ground, a pink short haired girl with emerald eyes trying to pick up everything that had fallen out of the boxes the kids who had bumped into her had caused her to drop. I went over to her and knelt down, helping her pick up what she had dropped (No, I wasn't stupid; I knew that this was Haruno Sakura. It wasn't hard to tell because of the pink hair.)

"Thanks." She said as I started placing things into boxes. "Wait, you're Naria, aren't you?"

"That's me." I said simply as I grabbed some of the boxes and picked them up. I might as well help her carry them. "I'll help you carry these."

She smiled. "You don't have to do that." When I didn't add the boxes to her four I think she took the hint. "I'm just taking this to Lady Tsunade's office."

I nodded and began to follow her as we started through the village towards the Hokage tower.

"So, Kakashi sensei was your sensei first right?" She asked and I nodded. There was a part of me that didn't feel like talking, but that was me just being my normal antisocial self so I told it to shut up. I said I'd try to change a little while I was here; talking to people needed to be one of the changes.

"That's right, though I don't know if sensei is the right way to describe it. He was barely with me two months." I said and she smiled as she looked at me.

"Was he as lazy with getting places on time with you as he was with us?" She asked, then she became thoughtful. "Then again, you were in a forest."

"Believe it or not, he still couldn't be on time even in the forest. He said it was because he didn't have alarm or internal clock to wake him up, but sunrise is pretty much the clock out there so I knew he was just being lazy." I said and she nodded, which is when I decided to add something. "That's why I ended up dumping water from the lake on him one morning."

She started laughing at that. "As much as I wish I could have done that once in a while, we were taught to respect our sensei... even if he doesn't know how to be on time." She said and looked at her.

"I was, but he only had a certain amount of time to train me so I wanted to make the most out of it. His sleeping late prevented that." I explained and she looked at me with a kind smile on her face.

"Well, I'll be interested to see you go against him tomorrow; he's probably going to do the bell..."

I cut her off. "The bell test." She seemed surprised that I knew about that, so I decided to enlighten her. "He did it with me, although I don't know why since I still barely knew anything. I lost, but I didn't care since the actual point didn't apply to me. I had no team and never would." I explained simply. "He won't win this time though."

"I wonder how he'd take it if you did win. Naruto would probably be annoyed if you do, so I'll have to tell him when he gets back." She said and that's when I remembered what I'd been told.

"That's right; Lady Tsunade said he was training with the perverted sage." I mused, though mostly to myself. I didn't really have a good opinion of Jiraiya, though that was for a very good reason and I think what I call him explains that reason perfectly.

"You obviously know Master Jiraiya." She stated and I snorted, rolling my eyes.

"He's a master all right, a master of perving on innocent and un-expecting young girls and having the nerve to call it research for those ridiculous books that Kakashi can somehow stand reading." I said and that's when Sakura started laughed hard, some sort of emotion (I think it might have been happiness or something along those lines, I wasn't sure) covering her entire face.

"So, you really have met him. Lady Tsunade used to beat him up a lot apparently; they used to be teammates." She said and that explained a lot. Not the teammate's thing, I already knew about that because I'd been researching Orochimaru so he didn't get the drop on me. It was bad enough that he used snakes; I do not like snakes.

"Oh, so that's why he thought I was Lady Tsunade when I hit him into that boulder the first time we met, though he was standing right beside it so it's his own fault." I said and she seemed intrigued. "I caught him perving on girls at a river I'd just finished bathing in when I was twelve and hit him with a chakra infused fist."

"You could focus chakra into your fist at twelve?" She asked, surprised.

We were now walking into the Hokage's building, passing shinobi and kunoichi as we went.

"Yes, apparently, I have excellent chakra control; that sort of thing is easy for me to do and always has been." I explained and she seemed speechless, so I figured I just let her get over her shock and talk to me when and if she wanted to.

I'd actually been enjoying the conversation; enjoying being able to talk to someone who wasn't a giant wolf and who didn't want to know about my horrible past. It was quite... it was not something I was used to, but that didn't mean I hated it. I may have kept my mask up, my expression blank, but it was the truth. I was enjoying talking to Sakura. Who would have thought?

* * *

 **If you like and have the time, drop a review and tell me what you think.**


	5. Chapter 4

Chapter four: **Naria's Pov**

I walked towards the training grounds where I was supposed to be meeting Kakashi with Mononoke walking beside me, enjoying being back around trees and not hordes of loud people, the feel of the sun pleasing against my skin. I would be fighting against Kakashi alone today, which was by choice but also by request. Despite Lady Tsunade being okay with me staying here – I knew she was okay with it, but that didn't mean that she trusted me because trust was earned, not blindly given – the council she'd told me about were not. I wasn't sure if they knew that I was... different than other girls or not, but I didn't care what they thought either or if they knew. They tried to touch me and it would end badly, for them. Then again, I'd probably just have to avoid them so I didn't land myself in even more trouble; the people trying to kill me now were difficult enough to deal with.

I finally arrived at training grounds and found Kakashi waiting with that horrid, boring and just plain wrong book of his in his hand again, with Lady Tsunade, Shizune and Sakura standing there too. I wasn't surprised Sakura was there, we'd talked quite a bit yesterday; mostly about fighting and medical things. I was just glad that Lady Tsunade gave me the go ahead to do this today.

"How can you read that crap?" I asked Kakashi immediately when I reached them and he looked at me.

"It's fine literature and a great story, that's how. Jiraiya is a genius." He said and I snorted.

"No, it's smutty drivel and Jiraiya is not a genius. He's a great Sannin, a toad sage and a certified pervert who pervs on un-expecting girls to write that shit; he also has no morality either because he doesn't feel the tiniest bit guilty about sexualizing women the way he does and taking advantage of them without them knowing most of the time. I mean, have you read the names of those books." I resorted, because that is what Jiraiya was and my opinion wasn't going to change. Yes, he was a Sannin and that meant a lot, but it didn't change the fact that he was a pervert; just like being a Sannin didn't change the fact that Orochimaru was an annoying, pain in the ass weirdo snake with a ridiculously strange sense of style that almost made me think he was a girl, though that is until he spoke and said his name. "Now, I believe we're supposed to be fighting."

"Still straight to the point I see, though more opinionated than before." He said as he slipped his book away in his pouch.

Sakura smiled at me. "Good luck, we'll be watching from the trees." She said and I nodded, nodding to Lady Tsunade too before the three of them took off with Mononoke following them and leaving me with Kakashi.

"I'm sure you remember what I said last time?" Kakashi sensei asked me and I nodded because I remembered clearly. I remember everything, including things that I wished I could forget. I'd never forget anything because the physical, emotional and mental scars would never heal and neither would the pain, even though I wanted it to. "Good, then show me how far you've come Naria. The rules are the same as the last time, even if it wasn't the same as now; I don't care how you do it, just get the bell. And remember, if you..."

"If I'm not prepared to kill you, then I'm not going to beat you. I remember all too clearly sensei, and I'm ready. I'm not the same little, lost, unskilled girl I was back then." I said with a monotonous expression and he chuckled, before he grabbed his _Hitai-ate_ and moved it up, revealing his Sharingan eye.

"Then I guess I better fight properly this time." He said and I mentally grinned evilly, because I knew that he was in for the biggest shock of his life. I waited patiently, knowing he was going to tell me to start at some point. "And go." This should be interesting.

The moment the words left his mouth I dashed forward, focusing my chakra into my feet so I moved like a blur, and he barely managed to block the strike of my kunai – which I had quickly whipped out – with his before we started trading blows with them. I did it so he thought that I was still as straight forward and to the point as I was back when I was younger, though obviously, I was a hell of a lot faster now thanks to training – if I learnt a bit more, I might be able to perfect the technique I'd been working on. So, to see if he'd underestimate me, I created an opening for him to get one up on me, which he took as he flipped me hard to the ground. By the time I looked up he was gone, which is when I flipped up onto my feet. I knew he was around here somewhere so I shut my eyes and focused, just listening and feeling – I heard Lady Tsunade talking in the distance. I could feel and sense vibrations that travelled through the earth, and even though it was much easier with my sandals off or my hands on the ground, it was still possible to do with them on. He wasn't getting away right now.

 **Tsunade's Pov**

I watched Naria intensely because I was interested in finding out what made this girl fight as hard as she obviously did and see how she fought. It was no lie that her medical Ninjutsu and knowledge of herbs was like nothing I had ever seen before in some aspects and her understanding of the art was far beyond someone of her age and background. In truth, she might be able to come close to rivalling me one day if she kept training, but since she was in fact a child of the Kohinata family – who were also revered, though they were more known for the medical knowledge involving illnesses and poisons, as well as a firm knowledge of herbs – it doesn't surprise me.

However, fighting was much different. This girl had a horrendous past from what I had heard and, despite how many horrible things she had gone through and deserved to stop going through, it did make me worried. The pain she must be feeling, as well as the fact that Kakashi had told me that when she was younger she always tried to keep the bulk of her anger controlled and never let it out and probably still didn't, could lead to some problems and that's not something I want. That is one of the reasons I needed to see if she really could handle herself; the other being that I couldn't send her on missions until she was ready. She wasn't normal; she had her own chakra and the chakra of a being no one knew the true identity of. That alone was cause to worry a little.

It was then that her eyes suddenly snapped open and she looked to her left, only to suddenly slam her foot down and smash the ground open in that direction; she literally smashed the ground in a straight line with her foot.

"Such amazing chakra control, she caused the ground to smash open in a direct line with just her foot, like she knew exactly where Kakashi was." Shizune said in surprise as Sakura stared wide eyes and I had to agree: She was powerful considering she used her foot to do that. Her chakra control was just as concentrated as Sakura's and mine is.

"That's because she did know." The wolf, Mononoke, said from below us and I looked down.

"What do you mean?" I asked and the wolf took her eyes off Naria to look at us with what I thought was a smile.

"She may be a human, but her senses aren't mundane – her senses are closer to that of many different animals because she trained in the forest – things are much clearer out there and quieter. She has attuned hearing that lets her hear more, her eyesight is keener than a human's eyes normally are and she can see a lot better at night than humans can because her eyesight has evolved over the years to suit her needs. She also has a perfect memory, especially when it comes to terrain, and she trained herself to feel vibrations in the earth when focusing solely on doing so. She's incredibly fast and strong and she is also very agile. Naria's pretty much the perfect predator in all honesty. She can move unnoticed – she's like a ghost – and if she wants to, she can kill you before you realize she's there. That's what being in the forest did for her; all she could do out there was train herself to become talented and strong, she had nothing else, and she also had the brains to work out the best ways to hone her senses and skills." Mononoke explained and I had no reply to that; what could I say when hearing this girl was that strangely talented.

For someone who trained herself mostly, she had already proven she had great control over the chakra at her disposal - to the point where she had the brute strength I did – which was even more amazing considering she had more than one set of chakra coursing through her veins. Not only that, but according to the wolf her senses were keener than most humans. I had to wonder what was within her and also had to wonder what was really going through her head. The ware to her body, I understood where she got it. It must have taken her a lot of sweat, blood and tears, as well as pain, to become as strong as she surely was.

 **Naria's Pov**

I heard the slightest movement and felt the smallest of vibrations go through the ground through my sandals, telling me exactly where my sneaky former sensei was hiding as my eyes snapped open. I channelled my chakra into my left foot – it was something I has specifically mastered to do myself as I had strengthened my legs – and brought my foot down hard onto the ground, smashing it open in a straight line that way because I didn't want to use my fist. There, in the open ground, was Kakashi and I placed my hand on my hip, noticing his shocked expression... or I guess I should say the shocked look present in his eyes since you can't see his face.

"I found you." I stated in a taunting voice since it just felt right, and then I leapt forward, channelling my chakra into my fist. He leapt out of the way before I reached him and I stopped my fist from connecting with the ground so I could leap out of the way just in time to miss his shuriken. I used one hand to flip back further and landed feet first back onto the ground, looking at him calmly, only to then look up and see that the sun was out in full force. I then preformed hand signs. "Light clone jutsu." Seconds later, there were nine light clones around me. See, light clones were like shadow closes, except I needed direct sunlight – or direct moonlight – to make them and I could make more than a couple. Plus, they were better formed than my other clones. They all attacked at once and I watched as Kakashi fought off all of them, just as I went to hit him.

"Fire style, fire ball jutsu." He said and I quickly leapt out of the way to avoid getting burnt, dashing into the forest so I could see what my sensei was like now, trying to ignore the fire as I did. He couldn't do that before, but then again, he was the damn copy ninja. At least he probably couldn't copy what I do, unless I used my wind jutsu; he could copy that. Anyway, I could probably find a sneaky way to finish this now, but I was enjoying the training and fighting a fight I knew I wouldn't die in.

 **\- Line breaker -**

I hid in the forest for twenty minutes, weaving through trees and doing my best to figure out where Kakashi was now. I knew he was around, I knew that for certain because I could sense him, but I was having a hard time locating him. If Mononoke was here she's locate him in a second, but she wasn't so I just had to make do and work out where he was on my own – that wasn't going to be too hard. I mean I had been doing things on my own for years, and despite how much pain and loneliness it had caused and how hard it was to even cope sometimes, I now had excellent survival instincts and know how to work well in this kind of terrain. I also had evolved senses for some reason, which I'd managed to strengthen over time, so I couldn't be stunk up on anymore. The only problem now is that I have no idea how Kakashi truly fights, although he didn't know how I fight either so we were technically on equal footing right now. I'd fought off so many people in the past; people who had wanted to kill me and could, so I was mostly certain that I could handle this. Some of the people I had fought in the past had been extremely strong and skilful, not to mention murderous.

 **Kakashi's Pov**

Well I had to give this to my former, short-time student, she had grown up to be quite the strong teenager and she was impossible to find in a forest. She knew how to travel silent and unnoticed from what I could see, like a shadow on a moonless night, which meant she could also easily sneak up on me if I wasn't careful and probably do serious damage; she could even probably kill me if she wanted to. I shouldn't be surprised though, she had been running from very dangerous people who intended to kill her or use her for so many years and had become used to doing whatever it took to survive. She probably knew the forest better than anyone and knew how to navigate in any terrain – I'm sure that's why she knows a lot about herbs too. She also seemed to have the senses and instincts of an animal.

I had to admit though; she'd changed drastically, although the pain in her eyes had grown far greater despite the fact that she tried to hide it behind an emotionless façade. Not only did she have even better control over her chakra than she had originally had – which I wouldn't have thought possible because she was a natural; the moment I showed her how to walk up trees she was doing it and she could walk on water by the time I left – and had learnt to channel it to specific parts of her body so she could attack; she had also apparently worked on enhancing her senses to the point where she could feel vibrations in the earth, which is how she nearly crushed me to death from the sounds of it.

Not only that, she had managed to make her own form of jutsu from what she'd told Tsunade when they talked and could create light clones, which I actually had trouble telling apart from her for some reason. I actually kinda didn't want to know what else she could do because with her intelligence, strength, free time and determination to stay alive and become stronger to protect herself against anything that came at her, she had probably come up with some brilliant techniques; some creative techniques that were as powerful and strong as she was now. Also, my Sharingan was proving to be a little useless against her. She was the one ninja I couldn't copy or figure out.

It was then that I knew she was coming and I jumped out of the way just as a blade of wind cut through the tree I had currently been standing in, which was the only wind style technique I knew that she knew, though she might have come up with her own now. I looked around and saw her perched sideways on a tree like a frog, before she quickly and effortlessly leapt down to the ground. Her natural ability surprised me, especially considering she was born a princess. She was actually beginning to remind me of a jungle cat or a wolf.

"No lessons this time Kakashi sensei?" She asked me monotonously.

"I don't think you need any more lessons." I stated from my new perch and she smiled, though even I could see that it wasn't a real smile – she never actually smiled, not once – and quickly preformed hand signs that I couldn't copy for some reason, meaning that this must be something she'd created – I did notice that she was fast with her movements.

"Light style, daggers of light." She said and golden/white lights formed in-between her fingers like kunai and she threw them at me just like she'd throw kunai, causing me to have to run because when they hit any surface they exploded and she could aim them directly at me, even as I leapt from tree to tree. It was hard dodging her because she had perfect aim and kept creating light daggers with quick and effortless movements.

I got out of there, barely missing her last one and feeling the backlash of it, and hid behind a tree, letting out a loud sigh of relief. _That was far too close for comfort._ When did she become so scary and powerful? What happened to the scared and practically powerless girl I had met all those years ago?

How could a girl who barely knew a thing about being a ninja or fighting and weapons when I first met her become like this on her own? It was obvious that Tamaki didn't teach her much, meaning she'd found a way to teach herself. Also, when had her eyes started turning a light gold, because they had flashed light gold when she had used her daggers of light at one point?

Suddenly a kunai landed directly at my feet and I jumped away as the paper bomb attached to it exploded and I tried attacking her through hand to hand, but she quickly blocked the attack and all of the other blows I tried to place on her body, all the while landing painful blows on me. She tried to hit me with a chakra infused fist, but I somehow dodged it despite how fast she was, which is when she kicked me straight in the abdomen and sent me flying into a tree. A second later she disappeared in a blur of dark blue and white, causing me to dash after her after a moment of pain.

It was fair to say she was going slightly easy on me from the looks of it, yet still she had me at a bit of loss. I had no idea what to expect from her and she was clearly using that to her advantage. She had undoubtedly become a talented ninja and to think that she had basically done it all on her own, being attacked by assassins sent by her uncle while she did. I guess that is what gave her the will and reason to become this strong in the first place. Naria definitely was not the normal princess, and I knew that she was immensely proud of that fact. Problem was, she was struggling with her past, even I saw that (her yelling at me was sort of a sign), and had trouble finding a reason to keep going.

 **Naria's Pov**

Kakashi and I hadn't been in the forest for long, maybe nearing two hours at the most, but I was growing tired of this so I wanted to just finish it and win if I could. I was actually kinda tired, my body still a tiny bit weak from the poison that I hadn't been prepared to fight off – I was immune to some poisons now, but most still affected me. I leapt from tree to tree and found Kakashi exactly where we'd started this. I instantly created two shadow clones to fight him and sent them out before I channelled as much of my chakra as I could into my feet, meaning my eyes would stay the same because I wasn't using the chakra of my being right now, and dashed forward at an incredibly fast speed while he was still distracted by them. I used a kunai to cut the bell off as I ran, barely getting it because he moved slightly, and skidded to a stop on the other side of him, allowing my chakra to settle. This all happened in less than ten seconds thanks to the fact that my speed and my chakra control were my most valuable assets, especially since I was now training my body to move so fast that it would seem as though I teleported, though it was better classed as a phantom technique.

"I think this means that I win." I said as he looked at me in surprise and I held up the bell, which jingled as he chuckled.

"I guess it's my fault for underestimating you and your speed." He said as he rubbed the back of his neck and I gave a small laugh. "You were pretending to be straight forward in the beginning to throw me off, weren't you?"

"Hai. I lived in the forest; the only way to survive out there is to be careful and sneaky, especially when you're alone and being hunter. I've gotten pretty good at thinking tactically and keeping to the shadows, even to the point of becoming basically invisible. Also, I realized that most underestimate me because I'm a girl; also, helps if I act dumb." I explained, just as Mononoke came to my side, followed by Lady Tsunade and Sakura.

"You did it, you actually bet Kakashi sensei and quite easily too." Sakura said.

I shrugged, before looking at Lady Tsunade. "I assume this means I can go train on my own now?" I asked and despite her surprise, she nodded.

"Yes, but I should tell you that I'll have chosen someone to be your sensei by the end of the week and you'll have to train with them from then on. I'd also like you to start working at the hospital next week too." She said and even though that thoroughly irritated me because it was like the council wanted whoever she chose to babysit me; actually, that's exactly what they wanted from the sounds of it, I nodded.

 **Kakashi's Pov**

As I watched Naria leave with Mononoke I was smiling slightly, impressed by how much she'd grown since I last saw here. Not just by her abilities, but her attitude. She was still brutally honest and straight forward, which would probably cause problems once she was sent out with teams, but she wasn't as shut off as she used to be. I doubted she would trust people or let them in any time soon, if at all, but at least she was actually talking now when people talked to her and she wasn't blatantly rude – she'd talked with Sakura a lot yesterday, but I knew that her past wasn't something she was going to open up about. I mean she was still apprehensive and all that, but it was much better than her being a mute and scaring people away because she just seemed cold and aloof.

"So Kakashi, what do you think?" Lady Tsunade asked me and I continued to watch Naria leave.

"I think she's matured quite a bit since she was young and has become a capable, powerful ninja. She can handle herself with ease, even when attacked; it won't matter if she's alone. She also played out that test so she could judge my abilities too; I'm sure she could have gotten that bell off me a lot earlier than she did." I said, because I'd noticed that she had gone easy on me. I'd gone easy on her too at the start, because I wanted to see what she could do, but I shouldn't have.

Still, I was a little concerned about her. Physically she was ready for anything and incredibly strong; mentally and emotionally, I wasn't so sure. I would have to keep a close eye on her for as long as I could to make sure she didn't do something that would get her in trouble. She was already in enough trouble as it was.

However, I knew one thing that no one else knew – Naria has a kind heart. She might make it look like she doesn't by hiding it and acting cold, but she cares for people more than she lets on and wants to help anyone who needs it. It's why she's the way she is now and why she has a passion for medicine – she's had that since I met her, even when she barely talked and looked scared I knew that because she helped with my wounds at the time... once she stopped being afraid of me that is. If things hadn't gone the way they had, Naria would probably be an openly kind and caring person, but instead she tried to seem emotionless because life seemed to keep hurting her and had a pain inside her that I saw had greatened.

"Yeah, Mononoke said that Naria was going easy on you. She said it was probably because Naria wasn't trying to kill you." Sakura said and I smiled. I told her she wouldn't beat me if she wasn't prepared to kill me; yet she was able to beat me without wanting to kill me.

"Sounds like Naria; she has a very good sense of right and wrong. I don't think she could even imagine killing someone she views as good unless she had no other choice. Even though I don't know her as well anymore, I doubt that has changed." I said, because I knew that, but I was still worried.

"Kakashi, is there something you're not saying?" Tsunade asked and when I didn't answer, she looked at Sakura. "Sakura, you can head back into the village now."

Sakura nodded and it was only when she was gone that I spoke. "It's seems Naria is using that being's chakra more now; I think that's how she does her light jutsu in a way and how she learnt how to move that fast, because her legs wouldn't be able to move like that without a lot of injuries."

Tsunade looked at me seriously. "What makes you think that?"

"When Naruto uses the chakra of the nine tails his eyes turn red and he has fangs. Naria's eyes flashed light gold and I can't be sure if she knows that she's doing it – she won't talk about that so I don't intend to ask." I explained. The only thing I knew about Naria's being was that it was a being of light, which I only knew because she told Tsunade and I.

"Is that a problem?" She asked and I shook my head.

"I can't know, but I do know Naria and she wouldn't put people in danger. I think it's natural for her now and that it's not dangerous, otherwise she'd know and stay away. I trust her enough to know that; she's not that kind of girl." I said, but I had to wonder. "If I had to guess why she can do this, I think it's because it isn't as dormant as it used to be, but I'll have to ask her or get someone she won't yell at to ask her. Sooner or later though, she'll probably start accessing it more like Naruto and Gaara can."

"Do you think she'll be able to handle it? I know that's asking a lot since she's changed since you last saw her, but you know her better than I do." Tsunade said and I smiled slightly.

"She'll be able to handle it; I can't say that she hasn't already accessed more of the being's power anyway. Still, you might want to tell her sensei about what she is." I suggested, hoping Naria didn't beat him or her up if they said something she didn't like. Still, I had to hope she didn't start accessing that chakra more if she wasn't mentally ready because it may lead her to think she's the monster everyone has called her all her life and the monster she feared she was. She had been tormented and feared enough; it would be nice not to see that get worse.

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 **Authors note: I am going to try to use some Japanese words, so if I fail to leave a note as to what they mean and you don't know, just tell me and I'll make sure I leave the meaning in the next chapter. They'll probably be common words though, but I'll still do it if needed. Hope you enjoyed.**


	6. Chapter 5

**Disclaimer - Obviously I don't own Naruto, but the new characters in this story I did come up with.**

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Chapter Five: **Naria's Pov**

I sat comfortably seated with my back against the couch that was in Lady Tsunade's office, Mononoke fast asleep beside me with her head lying on her paws. I was here because I had asked to study the medical volumes Lady Tsunade had and she'd agreed and had allowed me to study here as long as I was quiet. It had been a week since the test with Kakashi and I had managed to keep myself busy the entire time. I was always doing one of four things; I was studying more about what being a ninja meant and doing tests that most did before they graduated the academy here, I was working at the hospital – I had just finished doing that before – I was studying herbs and medicine or I was out training. Unfortunately, that was about to change because apparently, I was supposed to be meeting my new sensei today.

I had a thick book resting on my lap with more stacked beside me – Lady Tsunade had said that I could study in her office as long as I was quiet, mainly because it would also help me learn some things about other things, like the comings and goings of this village – plus, she could keep an eye on me here. One of the things I had learnt is that Lady Tsunade liked drinking, which Shizune constantly had to stop her from doing so she could get her work done, and that she also liked to gamble. I was actually quite enjoying the reading because I could do that without the fear of being attacked. This book had different knowledge than mine did, it contained different things and that was good because I was able to learn more. Still, my family knowledge was unique and Lady Tsunade had asked if she could read it. I didn't say yes; I wouldn't say yes till I trusted her, so I said maybe after a while longer in the village.

There was suddenly a knock at the door and I heard Lady Tsunade tell whoever it was to come in from her seat behind her desk, but I didn't look up from my book. I was actually quite engrossed in it; I enjoyed learning this sort of thing. I wouldn't admit it out loud, but reading was something I enjoyed doing since I was a child.

See though, my peace and quiet ended a second later when a loud mouth shinobi came into the room with a large grin on his face. He had dark blue hair that was extremely long and tied up low with light teal eyes. He was dressed in the traditional shinobi attire of Konoha with a black _Hitai-ate_ tied around his forehead and two hoops in each ear lobe.

"Hey Lady Hokage-sama, you said it was today I was meeting my new student, right? I figured you'd know where to find her, so I came." Oh, for the... don't tell me that this was...?

Lady Tsunade smiled as I looked back down at my book. "Actually, she's sitting right there." You have _got_ to be kidding me!

I tried focusing on the book, but a second later my hair was being ruffled and I had to call on every inch of my self-control not to break the arm of the man that was doing it and stay still. I looked up at the crouched man, who was still grinning.

"Hey kiddo, I'm Kazuma Ashita, your new sensei. You can call me Ashita-sensei." He grinned and I glared at him, which made him get up from his crouch with a surprised expression, while I looked at Lady Tsunade.

"Please tell me that this is some kind of strange joke that I don't understand and that this man, who thinks I'm a kid for some reason and thinks I won't break his arm if he ruffles my hair again like that, isn't actually my new sensei." I said with an annoyed expression and she shook her head.

"It's not a joke Naria. From this day forward Ashita is your sensei and you begin training with him today, no complaints. You may be strong and talented, but you can't do any Genjutsu or the Transformation jutsu which most learn when young." She said and I groaned in frustration, but I still placed the book back on the pile and I got up. That woke Mononoke up, causing her to let out a soft yawn as her mouth opened wide to show off all her sharp teeth. "I also don't want him getting put in the hospital for the shear reason that he annoyed you Naria, am I understood?"

"Unfortunately, yes, I understand." I said emotionlessly so I could hide my annoyance and Ashita looked at me with curious eyes as I looked at him. "Let's get this over with."

"Why do I have this unnerving feeling that I probably won't be able to move without feeling some sort of pain after this session?" He asked me, though I knew he wasn't expecting an actual answer. "Alright, can you go wait outside the building? I need to talk to the Hokage for a moment."

I just nodded and left with Mononoke, not bothering to ask any questions because I really didn't want to know and was sure that I didn't need to. I mean obviously, I knew they were going to be talking about me, but whatever they said I didn't care about. I had agreed to stay here and putting up with him was the condition of staying and one day going on mission, so I'd just do it. To be honest; he wasn't too bad if I compared him to the annoying basted who was coming after me.

 **Ashita's Pov**

I watched my new but somewhat scary looking when she tries to be student leave the room, closing the doors behind her and the giant wolf without being asked to. I have to admit, when Tsunade had told me she wanted me to train and watch someone I wasn't really expecting this despite what she had told me. I was expecting some sort of wild child with wild hair and strange clothes, not a beautiful young girl who was well over ten years younger than me with an emotionless expression, a passion for medicine from the looks of all the books that had been stacked around her and the skills of a truly great ninja according to the Hokage.

"Not what you expected; is she?" Lady Tsunade asked with a smile.

I sighed. "Not in the slightest. This isn't going to be easy, is it?" I asked her and she sighed.

"I'm not sure entirely, Naria is a mystery. All I know is that she has a bad past and great power. She just needs some guidance and to stop doing everything on her own for once. I think if we give her a chance, something no one else has ever given her, she may just become a truly powerful ninja and may learn that there's more to people then fear and hate." Lady Tsunade said and I honestly had to wonder if I was the best choice for this; was I someone who could really help Naria move on from her horrid past and the pain she must be in?

"Are you sure I'm the best person to help her deal with her past? I refused to take on a team a few years ago." I asked and she sighed.

"That's not what I'm asking you to do; I'm asking you to help her move towards a future that is hopefully better and happier, one that might be here. I don't know Naria that well, she hasn't been here long, but I know that it won't be easy for her to move on from her past. She's still being hunted by assassins and her last sensei, who is now working for Orochimaru, and still doesn't know what's within her. She has been through much more than most her age." She explained and I just nodded; I didn't have anything to say to that. "All you need to do for now is work out just what she can do so I can find out what her stats are and what she's capable of. Be there for her and train her; but also, be warned that I'll personally make your life a living hell if you treat that child differently because of the being sealed within her." Well, I just got threatened.

"Got it; train her, watch out for her and don't dwell on her being the host of a powerful being unless I want you to beat the shit out of me." I said before bowing, noticing Lady Tsunade's smile, and then going to find Naria.

Didn't take long to find her, she was waiting right outside the building, sitting sideways on the wolf's back casually, her hand moving across the wolf's head as she hummed a tune I hadn't heard before.

"Thanks for waiting." I said and she just shrugged, while the large white wolf looked at me with light blue eyes.

"So, this is the guy who's training you?" Wait, the wolf could _speak_?

"Yes." Naria replied, before looking at me properly and noticing my startled expression. "Mononoke, this is Kazuma Ashita, my new sensei according to Lady Tsunade. Ashita, this is Mononoke, the daughter of the great wolf Tsukino who I can summon with my summoning jutsu."

"Why is she with you?" I asked and Naria sighed tiredly.

"Because she wants to be, that's why." She said emotionless as she began to get up. "Now, didn't you say we were training?" Straight to the point, I kind of liked that, though I was sure it would get irritating soon enough.

"That's right, I'll lead the way. Just be prepared, I am not a Jonin to be messed with." I said confidently and even though it was slight I saw the corner of Naria's mouth twitch up in an amused smirk.

 **\- Line breaker -**

As my body hit the earth after having been kicked, I was regretting my earlier statement and I now knew why Naria had smirked in amusement – even though it was very small – before; she had known that my statement was amusing because she was the force no one should mess with. I had decided to start with Taijutsu – I knew that she knew no Genjutsu so that wouldn't be fair since my strength was Genjutsu – and now I saw that she was more adept at Taijutsu than I was and I knew quite a bit. She moved with exceptional speed, she was agile and her strikes always landed; that was without focusing chakra into her feet to move faster – when she did that she was near invisible. For a moment, I swear she teleported from one spot to the next, but that was ridiculous because she was only fifteen.

I slowly pushed myself up off the ground and saw her standing there, calmly as though nothing was bothering her. Well Lady Tsunade was definitely telling the truth when she said Naria rarely showed any emotion.

"Alright, how about instead of you beating the shit out of me I start teaching you some Genjutsu?" I asked, hoping she'd be okay with that. Genjutsu was my strongest point, so I was the best to teach it to her. I was also good at Ninjutsu and weapons.

Her face darkened. "No." Alright, I was missing something here.

 **Naria's Pov**

"Naria, Genjutsu is something most ninja's need to learn about eventually. Maybe some don't use it, but you should at least know something about it." Ashita said and I glared at him.

"I don't care; I am not going to be one of those ninja's. I know what it's about and I can get out of it, that's enough." I replied and he sighed as he rubbed the back of his neck.

"Genjutsu isn't something bad Naria." He said and I clenched my fists. If only he knew what Genjutsu could do in the wrong hands; as in the hands of a man who was a monster and wanted pawns.

"It is when it's in the wrong hands." I replied and he went to protest, but I made sure he couldn't. "Don't try to change my mind, because you can't. I don't like Genjutsu; it twists people's realities and that can seriously affect a person's mind. In the wrong hands, it's a painful torture device, that's why I trained my mind so I can't be hurt by it. I think my beings helping keep people out of my head too." I explained and his eyes widened.

"Wait a minute kiddo; are you saying you're impervious to Genjutsu?" He asked me and I nodded swiftly, because it was the truth.

"I am to most of them, meaning the ones people have so far used on me. You can test it if you think it's impossible." I said and before long he did try it, I could tell by this feeling I got, but nothing happened. Nothing changed, where I was stayed the same and so did he. "See, doesn't work."

"Alright, that's something you don't see every day." He said, though I knew it was more to himself because he was surprised then an actual statement that he wanted me to hear and talk about. "Do I want to know how you learnt to block out Genjutsu completely, because there are only a few ninjas who can?" Now there was a question.

"No, you don't." I said roughly, making it clear that I was not going to tell him.

Mononoke came up then. "She won't tell me either, it doesn't matter how many times I ask her." She explained, before looking at me. "She's stubborn, especially when it comes to talking about her past."

I sighed. "Trust me, my past isn't like a fairy tale, it isn't a story anyone wants to hear unless they are into horror and death." I said bluntly. Past talk wasn't something I wanted and it wasn't something I was going to engage in.

"Alright, talking about your past isn't allowed. So, how about instead of doing that, you show me the Ninjutsu's you know. The only way this is going to work is if I know how you fight." He said and even though that wasn't something I wanted to do, I decided I was going to do it.

I wasn't overly pleased with this situation, but compared to all the other situations I had been in since I was born and changed it was actually one of the best. I didn't like that I had to deal with a man I didn't know telling me what to do, but so far, he wasn't that bad of a man. He was a little bit of an airhead with a goofy smile, but still not too bad. That was my current view of him, but that could change in a second if I saw something I didn't like.

 **\- Line breaker -**

I don't know how the hell it happened, but somehow, I got dragged into having dinner with Ashita. I wasn't that happy about it, but he persisted with constantly asking me until I said yes, so I just agreed in the end to get him to stop because he was irritating me and I was getting close possibly putting him in the hospital – Lady Tsunade would have been pissed with me if I did that, so I just took the better option. I would much rather go back to my apartment, but now I was walking through the village with him. I wasn't comfortable with this whole situation, but I was over hearing him whine so it had to happen. He had made me go home first and made me change, which was why I was now wearing the casual clothes I'd gotten – apparently, I looked a little scary normally. I was in a pair of black pants and a light blue short sleeved shirt, my hair hanging loose now. Mononoke decided to stay at the apartment, the damn traitor.

"So, I think one of the things we should work on is developing Sitari **(A/N yes, I know it's not Japanese and no, I don't care. I came up with the name and it sounded okay so I'm using it.)** into what you want it to be." Ashita said as he led me into a restaurant place. This was not going to be easy or simple for that matter; I didn't know how to eat in a restaurant and couldn't remember how to eat with chopsticks for that matter.

"What makes you think I can do that?" I asked as he led me to a table.

"The fact that you created it yourself kiddo." He smirked as he ruffled my hair – he was doing this while it was loose so it was better than when it was tied up – and I looked at him with hard eyes.

"If you do that one more time you'll be known as the one-armed ninja." I said with venom in my voice and he immediately retracted his hand, though kept grinning. Sometimes making yourself look deadly got people to stop messing with you; in this case, it got Ashita to stop ruffling my hair but didn't stop him calling me kiddo. Damn he was annoying.

We sat down and I let Ashita order something for me since I was used to eating fruits, berries, vegetables and fish – the fish and vegetables cooked over a campfire. Before that I ate meals prepared by cooks and they were quite fancy meals (hello, I was a damn princess). So, in short, I wasn't used to things like this – I didn't know the names of meals or things like that, well I did but I didn't know what they looked or tasted like. Also, I hadn't used chopsticks since I was six – that was nine years ago.

"Itadakimasu." I said with Ashita as my meal was put in front of me, which is when my neglect of using chopsticks was shown to the world. I couldn't grab a single thing, it didn't matter how hard I tried. I was sure I was close to breaking my chopsticks.

"Here." Ashita said as he reached over and took my right hand, causing me to flinch, but his hold on my hand was strong. He moved the chopsticks around until he was happy. "Try eating now, with less force." It worked; I was able to pick up the food. "I guess that's the downside to living in a forest, you don't know normal things."

"It's a complication… one I haven't had to face until now." I explained, eating the meal and actually enjoying it despite my expression. It was nice to have something other than fish for a change, and to eat rice.

"That, and obviously, your lack of people skills." He said and I looked up at him, unimpressed. He, however, just grinned. "Don't give me that look, you know that speaking to people isn't your specialty and neither is being polite. I can't really blame you considering people are probably the reason you're like this in the first place, but not everyone's going to try to hurt or kill you."

"Could've fooled me." I muttered under my breath, trying my best to make sure that he didn't hear what I said. Last thing I wanted was to hear some sort of psychobabble about how I should stop looking at the dark things and try to see the light.

"Hey Naria, I see you're better." A girl voice said and I looked to see Ino standing there. "We were eating here too, so I thought I'd come see how you are."

"I'm alright, Lady Tsunade cured me. However, I now have a headache that won't go away." I said, shooting a pointed look at Ashita before I looked at Ino again and remembered that she and her team were the reason I was alive. "Also, thank you for saving my life; you and your team I mean. It may have been what Tamaki wanted, but you still saved me."

"Hey, don't think that I don't know that that headache comment was directed at me!" Ashita complained and I looked at him.

"It was my polite way of saying you're a loud mouth who doesn't often stop talking." I said and he pouted. "Weren't you the one who said I'd need to learn people skills?" I asked and now I knew he'd shut up, which he did.

"Hey Naria, is your old sensei really that bad?" Ino asked and I nodded, only just realizing that she was still there.

"Yes, especially with Orochimaru's curse mark. He doesn't like it when people are stronger than him, especially his own student who he basically taught only a little to, who also happens to be a girl." I explained and she scoffed.

"That's the same person that took Sasuke away from us." She said and I wasn't even going to comment on that.

"Ino, don't be troublesome and bring Sasuke into this. She never even met him, so it'd just be a drag for her." Shikamaru said from his seat across the restaurant, well actually it was directly across from our table.

"That's true." Ino said and I inwardly sighed. Right, these were the complications of being around people. I was going to have to get used to all this talking, especially since Ashita talked more than anyone probably should, at least right now.

"So Ashita, why are you with Naria?" Asuma asked and I wondered how they knew each other since I was sure Ashita was younger than Asuma, but they might actually be the same age.

Ashita smiled. "I'm her sensei starting today, not that she needs much teaching. I'm also…"

I cut in. "He's my babysitter." I said bluntly and Ashita seemed surprised by what I said. "Oh please, I know distrust when I see it and when someone isn't saying something. Lady Tsunade doesn't completely trust me, but the council doesn't trust me at all. Not gonna' blame them either."

"How long have you known?" Ashita asked me and I looked at him.

"Since the beginning. I'm not stupid enough to believe that people would just accept me, especially the council." I said and Ino suddenly touched my shoulder.

"Why would you think no one would accept you, you seem fine to me?" She said and I felt like laughing a humorless laugh, but I didn't.

"Because only two people ever have. There's a reason I was alone in a forest." I explained.

"Hey Ino, you might want to eat before Chōji finishes the food." Shikamaru said and Ino spun around.

"Chōji, leave some for the rest of us." She complained as she rushed back over and a soft argument began over at that table, well a semi soft one.

"See, the world isn't as bad as you think." Ashita said and I looked at him.

"Yes, it is, but maybe people aren't. Then again, they have no idea what I really am." I said and he leant forward.

There was worry in his eyes, like he feared what he was about to say. "Neither do you."

"I know that, but I have come to terms with the fact that I'm… different and that I probably will never know what makes me different other than that fact that it's light." I said, and then I became serious. "However, I also know that one of the things people fear the most is the unknown. Why do you think the council doesn't trust me? They fear what I might do; they fear that I might not be on their side and why wouldn't they. I'm a wild child from the forest who is being hunted, has ties to Orochimaru and won't speak about her past."

"Do you really believe that?" He asked me.

"I don't believe it, I know it. Why do you think people turned away an exhausted and bloody seven-year-old girl when she begged for help? It was because of fear." I said and then I got up, leaving the place without another word. I was done with this conversation and honestly, I didn't want to think about the cruelty I had received from people I'd never met. I wanted to believe that people could be kind and I was beginning to see that, but I also had seen too much darkness and cruelty to just easily accept it.


	7. Chapter 6

**Hey everyone, before I start off this chapter I just want to thank Leesayshey for her review and say that I do appreciate them because I like hearing peoples opinions. Also, I just wanted to make a note that if anyone else is curious about the 'Naria beating Kakashi' situation, that will be explained later on. Anyway, I hope you guys enjoy this chapter.**

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Chapter Six: **Naria's Pov**

I walked through the hospital, wearing the uniform that the people in this hospital wore despite the fact that wearing it made me uncomfortable, mainly because Tsunade had told me to wear it, and walked towards the entrance since I had finished my shift for the day. What I wasn't expecting was someone coming up to me from behind and touching my shoulder, causing me to spin around and look to see Shizune.

"Naria, can I speak to you?" She asked and I nodded.

I'd been in Konoha for a while now, quite a while actually, and even though I hadn't made friends I guess you can say I spent a lot of time with Sakura and Lady Tsunade, as well as Ashita who was cocky and somewhat lazy if you classed getting everywhere late as lazy, which I did. Sakura had asked me, to my utmost surprise, to teach her more about the forest and where to find herbs in it. I did of course; it was helpful to keep my mind off other things. Also, I preferred not being on the streets of Konoha because it was hard to see all those happy families when I never got that. It was even harder when Mononoke was away, like she was now. She'd decided to take a long trip home instead of asking me to summon her mother. She had siblings too. She wasn't pleased because the assassins my uncle kept sending after me finally found where I was right now, and the one who had found had died trying to kill me because I had killed him first, and she knew more would find me soon enough. I wasn't so afraid of that, because it just meant that my life was returning to normal, yet still different. It was a good different though.

"You know the uniform suits you." She said and I rolled my eyes.

"Is that why you wanted to speak to me?" I asked and she shook her head, before holding out a scroll to me. I took it from her.

"It's the details of the mission you're to go on tomorrow." She explained and my emotionless façade faded to become one of shock. Wait, what? "Lady Tsunade has decided you're ready for a mission and a hard one at that. This explains it all, but I can say that you'll be going with a team called team Gai and that it'll be dangerous, that's why we need to send a medical ninja."

"And the council and advisers?" I asked, because I knew they were still wary of me, even though they'd never met me and I'd never met them. Still, you'd think after not attacking the village and not hurting anyone – excluding Ashita because he often got hurt in our training, not that I meant to do that most of the time – that they'd stop being so damn cautious when it came to me. I mean it wasn't a lie to say that I was dangerous, because I most certainly was, but that was only when I wanted to be.

"It isn't the council's or the adviser's choice, it's the Hokage's and she's come to trust you despite the fact that you're not a ninja of the leaf." She said and I looked at the scroll, still surprised. "Be at the gate mentioned in the scroll by seven tomorrow morning, alright."

I nodded and she left, while I held the scroll in my hand as a small tear ran down my cheek, surprising me and automatically making me wipe it away. The Hokage, Lady Tsunade, trusted me enough now to send me on missions with ninja of this village. To say I was surprised by that was an understatement and I dare to say that it made me... No, I wasn't going to say the H word just yet because I always became miserable again after I did. For now, I'd just say that I was glad that I could leave the village and go on an actual mission; that I had a purpose and could put my skills to good use. Still, I guess that the H word did apply, because that tear wasn't one of sadness.

 **Tsunade's Pov**

"So, those are the details of your mission." I explained to team Gai.

Gai held up his thumb with a giant smile. "Don't worry; we can handle that in no time." He said and I sighed. Always rushing forward and pushing boundaries, Rock Lee following quickly in his footsteps. They were both so raring to go.

Let's see how they took my next decision. "There is one other thing. I am assigning a skilfully trained medical ninja to your team as a fifth member for this mission, as there is a high-risk factor and I believe one is needed." I explained, though that was only half a truth. I did believe that a medical ninja was needed on this mission because of the target they were pursuing and Naria was the most capable asides from Sakura, but I also wanted Naria on this team for her first mission to see if there was anything I had to worry about when she was with other people she didn't know on a mission. Usually I wouldn't send someone like her out on a higher rank mission than a D or C because she'd never been on one, but I personally thought she could handle it.

"Who's the medical ninja?" Neji asked me and I leant forward. This team consisted of two Jonin and two Chunin, so I figured they could handle her if something did go wrong and protect her if need be. However, I was not going to bring up the assassins as I didn't know if they'd show.

"Her name is Yukina Naria; she's the girl team Asuma saved quite a while ago now and who has been living in the village since then, though that obviously means that she is not a ninja of the leaf. She's already been notified of the mission and will be meeting you at the village gates at seven tomorrow morning." I explained to them and I saw the confusion on their faces.

This was not normally how we did things, unless she was the mission of course, but I felt that this risk was a risk worth taking after watching her and knowing what she was capable of – she was very talented ninja with unique abilities and she was only fifteen. She was silent unless spoken to, followed orders to the letter unless she saw a flaw in them (I had worked with her in the hospital and so had Shizune and she sometimes came up with alternatives to problems most couldn't solve or different ways to make medicine and antidotes) and was like a ghost when in the forest.

Her main strengths were her strength, speed, stamina, Taijutsu and intelligence, while her only weakness was Genjutsu and that was only because she refused to learn it. According to her stats at the moment it went – Ninjutsu 2.5, Taijutsu 3.5, Genjutsu 0.5, Intelligence 3.5, Strength 3.5, Speed 4, Stamina 5 and Hand seals 3 – giving her a total of 25.5 and again she was only fifteen. She was undoubtedly a skilled ninja – one who had basically trained herself beyond the basics Kakashi had taught her and had trained herself to the point of exhaustion – so it was unnerving to think how strong she might become if she unleashed what's within her, especially with her light jutsu/light release. Also, how strong she would be if she kept training.

"I don't mean to sound rude, but if she's not a ninja of the village, why are you sending her with us?" Tenten asked and I was happy she had asked.

"There are many reasons why, but for now I'll just tell you this and if you want to know more about it, you should ask her and she may answer. Naria is both a very talented medical ninja and a skilful ninja who also knows the forest better than anyone in this village can claim to and has trained herself to move unseen when within it. She is also friends with Kakashi and has been training with a Jonin I appointed." I explained, but then I became serious. "But more importantly, I want you to watch her. I want to know how she can cope on a team so I know if I can trust her enough to continue sending her on missions. This is her first time on a mission."

"So, this mission isn't only a mission, it's a test for her and you want us to be the ones who assess her." Neji said and I nodded, but then I felt the need to clarify something.

"Yes, but I still want you to trust her judgement about the forest. She is an expert in that subject." I explained and they all nodded.

Gai grinned. "If that's what you want, then that's what we'll do." Gai said and I nodded.

"Good, then you are all dismissed. Rest up for tomorrow." I said and I watched as they left, before I got up and went over to the window, looking out across the village.

"Wouldn't it have been wise to warn them not to ask Naria about her past? I'm not an expert, but I can tell she hates bringing it up and if they ask her about it on the mission it may cause some conflict. Naria may be more fragile than she seems and she seems like one of the strongest people I've met. She doesn't even like walking around the village." Shizune said and I sighed. She was right of course, about Naria, but still.

"I had thought about it, but I think it's better if they don't know, especially because if I told them not to bring it up they'd be curious. Also, being a part of a team means being able to be trust one another and not lie, and even though she won't be a part of a specific team, she should learn to handle them asking questions she may not like and not get angry about it. A ninja can't let their personal feelings or problems interfere with their mission; they have to trust their team or at least have faith that they can work together." I explained. Maybe this would cause problems if they did ask, but Naria had to learn to deal with people if she wanted to work with the ninja of the village.

 **Naria's Pov**

I sat at the kitchen table I had that night, reading one of the medical books I had acquired in town as I ate my dinner (I had to go buy a cook book just to learn how to cook something other than fish over a campfire, though I stayed to cooking organic as much as I possibly could). I had finished packing my bag for the mission tomorrow morning and was actually eager to go on it. I had been in the village or training in the forest around it for quite a long time now. Well over a month; actually, I was losing count of the days like normal. All I know is that this was the longest I had stayed in a place in a very long time.

This mission, it would be a nice change from staying in the village. It was nice not having to sleep constantly on a forest floor, but then again, I rarely slept despite lying down every night and when I did it was only for a few hours. Still, I wasn't comfortable around so many people and most of the time I tried to avoid going out on the street.

This mission was also a break from Ashita. I mean he was already away on his own mission, but still it would still be good. Ashita was no doubt a loud mouth; he talked more than I wanted to listen about things I didn't care about. He was also a cocky and sarcastic shit who irritated me and sort of lazy when he wanted to be; it was like Kakashi all over again, except Kakashi was the better one. He always arrived late and often asked me to show him what I could do while he sat on his ass watching. I would have beaten him to a bloody pulp, but after the first time where I hit him so hard that he landed face first in the middle of the village Lady Tsunade told me to stick to light fighting in training and not kicking my sensei's ass as far as I could, that is after she finished yelling at me because I'd said I wouldn't put him in the hospital and nearly had. To my defence though, Mononoke and Sakura had found it funny – I hadn't... much, I just knew that he deserved it for annoying me so much. I healed him after it anyway, so no harm was really done. I mean he was sore about it for a few days, but that actually worked out great for me because he refused to talk to me. He actually gave me the silent treatment, which I did find amusing, because who knew an adult could be so childish.

I cleaned up the mess I'd made making dinner and then I went to the bathroom and had a shower. That was one thing I did like about staying here; I could bathe in something in other than a stream, a river, a lake or under a waterfall – or a hot spring if I was lucky enough to find one. A waterfall used to be my form of a shower, and waterfalls didn't provide warm water. This was a privilege considering I hadn't had a warm shower or bath since I was six, unless you counted the one or two natural hot springs I had happened across in the last two years.

Once I was finished I towel dried my hair and laid down on my bed, the moonlight shining through my curtains and onto my body. I just stayed lying on my bed as I stared at the window as I laid on my side and wondered if I'd ever have a good night sleep; I doubted it would happen because that'd just be my luck, but I'd be quite grateful if I got one. It would be nice to stop having nightmares every time I tried to sleep – I felt like I was living a nightmare for years so why was it that sleep couldn't be my only escape.

 **\- Line breaker -**

I woke up two hours later in the dead of night, sweating from head to toe with my hair sticking to my neck as a panted breath came from my mouth as I bolted upright, a hand moving to my forehead as I lent my arm on my risen knee as I tried to control my erratic breathing. Alright, nearly ten years of nightmares was driving me insane and eight years of barely sleeping and never feeling refreshed was too – was it so wrong for me to want one night where I could go to sleep before midnight hits and sleep until the sun was high up into the sky?

Well, I guess I was not going to be well rested for my mission tomorrow, good thing I was used to it now. My stamina was so good because I didn't sleep like everyone else and it wasn't from lack of trying. Also nightmares, they don't make you feel well rested. I couldn't even remember what the hell a good night's sleep bloody was anymore – it had been so long since I had one. There were times when I passed out cold from exhaustion and when I woke up I really didn't want to because I was having a much better time asleep. That's really sad thinking about it. It's like a reverse nightmare; like when you wake up from a nightmare you're normally so relieved. For me however, I wake up into the nightmare.


	8. Chapter 7

Chapter Seven: **Naria's Pov**

I walked towards the place I was meeting the team I was going out with today with one strap of my pack handing over my right shoulder, a strap I held with my hand. Because I didn't sleep last night and had more time to do some unnecessary thinking, I was slightly worried about today.

When I fought, I was well aware that my facial features changed a little if I used that being's chakra instead of my own and I had gotten quite used to using it at times – it and my own, and when that happened they'd know that I was different if they saw it.

Still, what worried me the most was not that they'd find out about it, because they would find out sooner or later no matter what I did because it was who I was; what worried me was what they would think of me and how they'd treat me once they knew – once everyone knew. I had been treated like a monster for years when I was younger and as an animal by the people who hunted me and I didn't want to go through that again if I could help it. I didn't want to see the fear, disgust or hatred in people's eyes again when they looked at me – I knew I could ignore it, but that didn't make it any less painful. I could pretend I don't care all I like; it doesn't mean I don't.

It was then I remembered the promise I had made Mononoke before she had left – I hadn't had much of a choice but to make it at the time. I had promised her that I would keep myself safe, which was a grave promise to make considering my uncle was still sending assassins after me – I was sure it was him who was doing it, but unfortunately, I had no clue what all of the facts were anymore. My uncle Tadao did not want to give the hell up on seeing me dead – don't ask why the hell he wanted that; I mean if it was because he thought I'd go back and kill him, he should know that if I planned to do that, I would've done it by now – and let me live, that was for damn sure. Hence why I kept fighting; I didn't want him getting what he wanted, I didn't want to give him the satisfaction of winning. I was far too stubborn to give up that easily, especially when it was him who'd gain what he wanted if I did and I'd be dead if I gave up.

I finally reached the large gate and rested against the arch, waiting for the team I was going on this mission with. My pack was packed with everything I needed, weapons and antidotes included, as well as a few other things like food and water since I couldn't just stop when I pleased to get those things. I had arrived slightly early, mainly because being in that apartment was driving me up the wall. I was used to being out in wide open spaces, not small apartments. Maybe my discomfort came from being basically locked away in a castle for six years without much time outside and then a year of never being able to leave one room and then other things – I guess you could say I had a fear of being locked away, a phobia of being trapped.

"You're Naria, right?" I heard someone asked and I turned my head to the right to see four people standing there and was glad I knew who they were, thanks to Lady Tsunade's helpful descriptions in the scroll she'd asked Shizune to give me; she was trying to make things easier for me because I was still new in the village.

The two in the horrid green jumpsuits and orange leg warmers with the traditional green Konoha shinobi jackets were Might Gai and Rock Lee, the boy with the long dark brown hair that was tied low down and white but also slightly lavender eyes was Hyuga Neji and the girl in the group with buns on each side of her head was Tenten. They were here early too.

"Yeah, that's me. You're team Gai right." I said without a questioning tone in my voice as I just stood there, making sure my mask was in place. I'd much rather look cold and emotionless instead of broken and possible weak when it comes to non-physical things.

The man who was obviously the sensei of the group grinned and I tried to decide whether it was disturbing or just plain creepy – I wasn't sure anyone should grin like that. "That's us alright. Now it's time for us to head out, I want this mission done in half the time." Gai said and then he and Rock Lee got into a whole thing about how they could improve even more. I tuned them out.

"Don't worry about them, they're always like this." Tenten said as she came to where I was standing and I nodded, though I'd never seen such energized people before, it was kinda creepy. "I'm Tenten."

"I know; I was told all your names. I also know about them, Lady Tsunade war... mentioned it." I said, catching myself and then yawning slightly afterwards. Just because I was used to not sleeping does not mean I was immune to it. I still got tired.

Neji came over to us then. "We better go." Neji said and I watched as Gai and Rock Lee took off quickly in a cloud of dirt, followed by both Neji and Tenten, which made me follow them too. I guess I was going to have to learn quickly how to work in teams, especially ones who have been together for a long time and ones with members as energized as Lee and Gai were.

 **\- Line breaker -**

I followed team Gai through the forest with ease, leaping from tree to tree effortlessly as we headed wherever it was we were heading, as I only knew two things: it would be dangerous and I knew exactly what direction we were heading. I had been informed about other details about the mission, but I didn't know too much about it. I wasn't going to ask questions though; I was just going to work with this team to the best of my ability. I'm sure they'd tell me if I asked, but I had a feeling this was what Lady Tsunade wanted. I had to trust, or at least be confident in, these people so we could work successfully as a team. I also had to wonder if the council trusted me yet; I was sure that the answer was no – they didn't seem the trusting type.

We had been travelling at a vigorous, unrelenting pace since we had left the village this morning and that was saying something since it was after noon now, not that that bothered me all that much because I had specifically trained my body to withstand this sort of stuff and travelled this pace often myself. I was on the run, in a way, from some very serious people who weren't afraid to kill, so I kept moving through the forest. I sometimes had to travel for days to lose the people chasing me, if I didn't kill them when they attacked me. I wasn't exactly innocent when it comes to taking people's lives, I haven't been for a while and I wasn't going to hide that fact either. I was who I was, end of story because that story wasn't gonna' change. You can't change the past, even if you want to.

No one was talking right now, although Gai and Lee had started many confusing conversations on the way. I was kinda surprised by their... intensity about everything. They had to be the most expressive people I had ever met in my life, in a bit of an annoying way actually, if I was being honest – listening to them go on and on hurt my head a little. I did have really good hearing, so it was a whole lot worse for me than it probably would be for others – they were very loud.

It was then that I heard something in the distance (like I said, my hearing was far better than most because it just was, and because I had learnt to rely on more than just my eyes, to the point where I could hear more than normal and feel minor vibrations in the ground. I could easily fight without my sight) and I could hear and see a flock of birds fly off in a hurry from the direction we were heading, though it was quite a way ahead of us. From the sound of it and how freaked the birds were, my personal opinion was that it was a rock fall, which was a bad thing if the rock fall had accrued on the path we needed to take and was large enough to cause a hassle. I was just glad that it was a rock fall, instead of something far worse like someone we had to fight.

"What was that?" Tenten asked and I wondered if I should answer.

I decided that yes, I should tell them. "It was a rock fall." Neji and I explained at the exact same time, which automatically made me wonder how he knew.

"How did you know that?" Neji asked me and I looked at him as we continued to move from tree to tree.

"I learnt long ago that you have to learn to rely on and use more than just your eyes, so I did." I replied, not going into detail because they didn't really need to know and not bothering to ask how Neji knew. "Rock falls also have a distinctive sound."

"It's completely blocked off the path we were originally planning on taking; we'll need to find another way." Neji said and Gai suddenly looked back at me, a huge, disturbing grin on his face, one that scared me a little because it went with those eyes, eyebrows and bowl cut hair – it was more disturbing on Lee though. Also, why was he even looking at me in the first place?

"Well then, it seems we are truly blessed that Lady Tsunade sent Naria with us, as I recall she said that Naria knows this forest better than most." Oh, so that's why. "Naria, can you show us another way?" I looked around.

I knew approximately where we were in the forest, thankfully because I had a very good memory of the terrain. Being alone and on the run from some truly dangerous people meant that I had travelled all around this forest and many others, living only in the forests and never the villages even though I knew where they all were. So, it was fair to say that it was entirely possible for me to know the terrain by heart – I hadn't just lived in the land of fire either, I'd lived near the border of the land of wind too at one point; I mean after living with my parents. I worked out in my head exactly where we currently were by working out what direction we were heading, which ultimately meant that I was able to work out where the rock fall had happened and where there was another path. It really wasn't a lie: I knew the forest extremely well; I mean I'd been out here since I just turned seven... for the most part until I headed to Konoha. It was now quite easy for me to navigate when in this territory.

"I know another way." I answered monotonously.

His smile widened, who would have thought that was possible. "Then help me lead to way." He said and I sighed out loud before picking up my already quick pace so I could get to Gai's side and then move with him, though I avoided him as much as I possibly cold. This was going to be a long first mission for me it seemed.

 **\- Line breaker -**

It was well past the glorious orange, yellow, pink and blue sunset, maybe nine at night, when we finally stopped travelling and set up camp for the night. Well, they set up camp; I just made a fire while they did that and then rested my back against a tree not too far away from me with the book I'd been reading last night beside me in case I felt like reading it. The path I had taken them on had actually gotten us closer to our destination faster than if we had taken the original route, from what I figured anyway and apparently, I was good at math and working out distance. They'd told me exactly where we were heading, at least Gai had.

I was sitting slightly away from them as I listened to them talk, just looking up at the small amount of sky I could see through the trees and counting the stars in my sight. I'd already finished eating, while everyone else was close to finishing now.

"A girl still graced with thriving youth should not have such an evasion to socializing." Gai said and I realized that he was talking to me, much to my dismay. All I wanted was to relax, not talk.

"Well said Gai sensei." Lee said and I looked at both of them from where I was resting, hiding my disbelief of how weird these two were behind my mask.

"I don't really have anything I want to say, so what is the point of socializing." I said bluntly, making sure they knew it wasn't a question, because I knew what they would ask me if I socialized. Also, I didn't know how to socialize with people; I was first mostly kept away from people and then I grew up in a damn forest where people weren't common. Most just travelled through, they didn't stay. My only conversation was with animals and most couldn't talk back; I could still understand animals on a primitive level, but that was different to this.

"You could tell us about your past and your family, about the joy of your childhood. It would be a true privilege to know how you became to be so talented at manoeuvring through forest terrain." Lee said and I turned to look at him, my eyes probably cold and hard, mainly because I truly hated the word joy since I didn't know what that emotion felt like. I didn't know what any good emotion felt like – or at least I couldn't remember because it had been so long.

"My past doesn't even come close to counting as civilized conversation, I have never really had a family to speak of and I know about the forest because I've spent most of my life living here alone. There, enough said!" I said roughly and then I quickly got to my feet, my book in my hand. "I'm going to get some sleep so I'm rested for tomorrow."

I leapt away and up into a tree that had a thick branch, which is where I sat down and stayed with my book open on my lap, trying to ignore what I had just done. I had snapped at them for just being curious, which I knew I should not have done, but I honestly didn't want to talk about my past and I didn't feel like apologizing, even though I knew they hadn't warranted that treatment from me. It was a no go zone, that was what I had decided long ago. I didn't want to talk about it, it had been hard enough telling Lady Tsunade. Actually, doing that had brought a lot of things I had been trying to suppress and forget back to the surface, and had caused my already horrible nightmares to get worse and even more frequent, which was the reason I didn't feel rested even when I did fall to sleep. It was those sorts of things that made me want to give up, because giving up meant that all of excruciating pain I was feeling would finally stop, but I still didn't because I had to believe that one day I could do some good in this world and that was worth all the pain. I wanted to keep whatever goodness I might have that was still within me alive, I had to if I wanted to stop myself from becoming the monster I sometimes feared I was.

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 **So here's the next chapter, done and dusted. Hopefully I can get some more chapter written so I can update more frequently, but we'll have to see what direction my life goes. Still, I hope you all enjoy.**


	9. Chapter 8

Chapter Eight: **Naria's Pov**

I was slightly tired as I dashed after the team even though I could be ahead of them right now, the team who hadn't even tried to talk to me when we'd left our camp site this morning. Obviously they had definitely gotten the fact that I was a rather... secretive and closed off person, especially when my past was the subject of discussion. I couldn't blame them for not wanting to talk to me now and obviously not trusting me as much as before, and I also couldn't bring myself to care all that much what they thought right now, at least not completely. They could think what they wanted of me (I just didn't want to know what it was they thought) as long as we could complete this mission as a team like we are supposed to. It was probably an A-rank mission or something like that (I didn't understand the ranks yet) from what I had been told, which I now knew involved stopping a leader of a large group of allied ninja that meant harm and had been attacking small villages, while not being killed.

We were closing in on their hideout already according to the map Gai had, which was where I would apparently be paired with Gai according to what I had been told the night before, which was before I had snapped and gotten angry. Apparently I was supposed to stay with him because if something happened to me on this mission, no one could heal the team. I hadn't brought up the fact that I was actually self-healing because of my being, not that that was immediate, because they had been doing this longer than I had been and I didn't want them to know. Plus, I couldn't be bothered arguing with them about it.

It was then that I heard something from behind us and felt faint chakra signatures closing in. Sensing chakra signatures was something I had slowly become quite good at over the years if they weren't good at hiding it; I had needed to become good at it and I had also needed to become good at hiding the presence of my chakra, which is a really difficult task when you have two sets of chakra and you use both – the being's chakra wasn't as dormant as it once was, I used small amounts of it often and with ease and control, though I don't know how. I could hear and sense the people getting closer to us, now from all sides because they were surrounding us, which is when I was suddenly joined by Neji.

"There are people following us, and they're gaining. They're surrounding us." I said simply and bluntly. This was not the time for me to be my normal tight lipped self because I was around people I didn't trust and didn't know.

He didn't seem the slightest bit surprised that I knew that or surprised by the announcement I had just made, meaning he already knew. "I know, that's why despite the fact that I don't trust you, I want you to separate from us." He said and I looked at him in confusion, but then I quickly let the confusion go and paid attention.

"What do you want me to do?" I asked.

"Follow us without being seen by them if you can and, if we're caught like I think we will be, let us get taken to the hideout so you can find out where it is." Neji said and that's when I realized his plan, which all relied on me doing the right thing. "Will you?"

If I was right and I was sure I was, he was assuming that the people only thought that there were four of us, not five, because from what I knew the normal standard teams had four members. If they did think that and think that it was one team, which it was, I could easily slip away unnoticed and follow them without them knowing, making me this team's secret weapon. The thing Neji didn't say was that if they were captured, it would probably mean that I would have to save them if they were locked up in a way that they couldn't escape. He was actually putting a lot of faith in me right now considering he didn't trust me. He was taking a big risk, and that risk was me. I had to wonder if anyone else knew of this plan.

I nodded and quickly separated from the team without anyone else noticing that I had separated from them, making sure I didn't get seen by the men after us. I did my best to disappear as I concealed my chakra, moving high up into the tree tops so I was above the other men. No one would see me up here; they wouldn't even see my shadow. It was a very good thing that I had practiced travelling so high up.

From where I was, which was where no one could possible see me and no one knew I was, I saw absolutely everything that followed. It had been a trap and trust me I know that because I know what traps look like; they had obviously known that a team was coming from Konohagakure to take out their leader because no way would they be out here like this otherwise, meaning they had made up a plan to either catch or kill them – if it was the second one I was going to interfere no matter what I'd agreed to. Thankfully it wasn't and I knew that because Gai, Lee, Tenten and Neji were all captured in a very bad way that even made me flinch inwardly and that was saying something, even though I was quite impressed because of how long they fought and how skilfully – they surely would have won if a cheap trick hadn't been pulled. I saw that Tenten was good with weapons; Gai and Lee were beyond amazing when it came to Taijutsu and Neji was talented in an amazing Ninjutsu – I may not show it but even I admired people who had skill, as long as they weren't trying to kill me with that skill. I could have helped them out of it, but this was the best way to find out the exact location of the hideout and Neji obviously knew that or else he wouldn't have asked _me_ to be the backup plan.

-Line Breaker-

I followed the men back to their hideout (for people who were trying to watch their backs, they were doing a piss poor job of it and I was the best one to say that – I mean especially since they had led me straight to their hideout without even realizing they had) and stayed perched high in a tree for a long period of time so I could assess the situation and figure out what was happening, as well as what I should do next and how I should proceed. I scanned the large two story building that was surrounded by trees thoroughly with my eyes and watched the men that entered the building and exited it. There was a patrol of five men (from the looks of it) constantly circling and surrounding the building, scanning the perimeter for any sign of a threat. The others were inside somewhere and these guys weren't afraid they'd get free, which was why I knew that I'd have to find a secret way in there because I couldn't just walk in through the front door and say 'honey, I'm home'. I also couldn't see any of the men's faces because they were all wearing black cloaks that wrapped around their bodies and had hoods, and red cat face masks.

It was weird to think that this is what ninja had to do on their higher rank missions, but then again the biggest part of any ninja's job is to protect their village and other villages – even to the point of killing if need be. I didn't have that, but I would still do the right thing. I want to do for people what no one did for me; I want to help them, unless they're the people hunting me.

I watched as one of the men went around the building and quickly yet stealthily leapt down from the branch I was perched on, knowing that I had exactly thirty seconds to get to that building before the next guard came around the corner and spotted me – they weren't going to catch me, that I was sure of because I wasn't going to let them. I manoeuvred my way quickly over to the building, doing my best to get there without being seen by anyone who may be secretly or not so secretly watching, which was actually rather simple and it wasn't because I was learning to run really fast with chakra infused feet. These people were moronic, plain and simple. I mean honestly, did they not even consider a secondary team attacking them to get the others back?! If they didn't they were either indescribably naïve or they were just plain stupid. I seriously doubted that they would let me get close enough if they knew I was here and it was obvious they didn't have an informant in Konoha because they'd know it was a team of five instead of four. Obviously they seriously underestimated the Konoha ninja, not that I was one, but the point still stands. I actually found it slightly funny in a not so humorous way that an organization like this was so damn horrible at hiding. How in the hell were these morons even classed as a threat?! I mean they had the numbers to be one and were damaging villages, but still.

I leapt effortlessly up onto the roof of the building – I had to avoid the windows when I did that so I wasn't seen by the people inside – and saw that there was a hatch that led inside, I was sure of it – I was as sure of that as I was the fact that these men were overconfident; they didn't believe for a second the someone could get in. I managed to open the hatch by using my strength to break the lock that was on the inside and climbed down, hanging by my hands as I pulled the hatch shut behind me before I softly landed on the ground of the second floor of the building, hoping no one noticed the broken lock. I travelled through the hideout like I was nothing but air, seen by no one. I didn't know where to find the others exactly, which was not a good thing because I didn't want to run around this place and search every damn room. Well, that is until I went downstairs and I came upon something that looked like a kitchen and found two men inside. My first instinct was to take them out, but I knew that now was the time to be silent and sneaky because they had information I needed; they'd know where the others were.

"Seriously, I literally kill people for a living and here I am playing maid; getting drinks for those two idiots who were put on guard duty downstairs." One man said and I stayed pressed against the wall, unmoving yet alert. If anyone were to come down either side of the hall right now I would only have a split second to disappear out of sight or else I'd be royally screwed (and no, that's not meant as a pun or anything like that).

"At least you don't have to babysit the kids that are locked up. They'll be down their watching those brats until the boss decides what to do with them; I have first dibs of that long haired boy if we can kill 'em, which will happen sooner or later." Another man said and I moved quickly, knocking down something that was handing on the wall down the hall as I came up with an instant plan. It smashed against the ground as I leapt from the floor to the wall and then hung upside down from the roof, the chakra focused in my feet keeping me there.

"What was that?" The first man asked and when both of the men ran out (typical, most people reacted before thinking) I jumped from the roof and dashed inside.

Once inside I quickly removed my bag from my back and opened it, grabbing out a sleeping powder from inside, a powder I'd made myself and grabbed on the small chance that it might be needed. I opened the small class container it was it and poured half the contents into the jug of water, watching them disappear and become clear, before I shoved the container back into my bag, which I then shut and placed back onto my back. I was able to hide just in time by ducking behind something, avoiding being seen by the two men as they entered. I could easily knock them both out, it'd take me no time at all and no one would know, but that would eventually draw unwanted attention.

"I can't believe we rushed out all prepared for a fight because of a falling picture. I'm glad no one else saw; they'd never let us live it down." The second one said, his mask off meaning I could see his face, not that that helped.

"I honestly don't care; I just want to get this downstairs so I can go what the interrogation of that idiotic looking ninja." The first one said and he left the room with the jug and glasses, soon followed by the other man.

I stealthily followed the first man out once the second one was out of sight, listening and feeling my way around the hideout because the last thing I wanted now was to be caught before I could get downstairs and break out the others. I didn't go through all this effort just to get in trouble now.

The man obliviously led me straight where I needed to go, which is when I quickly hid somewhere no one would see me and just listened to the rude conversation inside. It was meaningless banter, that's all, and when the man I'd followed here left I just waited for my plan to unfold, glad that one of the men had stated that no one else was going to come down here until tomorrow morning, meaning their unconscious bodies wouldn't be found. It didn't take long for the men inside to begin drinking the "slightly strange" water and not even a minute later they both collapsed onto the floor hard, fast asleep. They wouldn't wake up for a few hours at least, give or take, and they'd probably have migraines when they did so they wouldn't be in perfect fighting condition. I was glad that the sleeping powder I had was fast acting; I had made it that way.

"What happened to them?" I heard Tenten ask and I calmly walked into the room, glad that there were only two men. They were still in their black cloaks, but they weren't wearing the red masks so their faces were visible.

Lee, Neji and Tenten were chained to a dark brown wall with shackles that prevented you from using chakra to escape, locked in a cell sort of thing that was made up of black bars. That meant that I had to find the keys, even though I could easily just pick the damn lock or smash it to smithereens. Still, keys would be the better option.

"It was a potent sleeping powder I made that I slipped into the water. These people are arrogantly overconfident." I explained as I knelt down in front of the first guy, looking for the keys since I didn't see them resting on the table or hanging off the wall.

"We thought you abandoned us." Tenten said as I finally found the keys in the man's cloak and I looked at Neji, realizing he hadn't had the time to tell them our plan, meaning I hadn't abandoned them, even though I could have. Also, it's not like he could tell them in front of these men.

"She didn't, she just did what I asked. I realized that if we were captured we'd be brought here, but we'd need someone to get us out – Gai mentioned it too. She was the best choice." Neji said as I went over to the cell door and unlocked it, only to then go inside despite my unease and remove their shackles one by one. I hated these shackles; I really did, because if the people who happened to catch you had them you were screwed unless you were smart.

"We must find Gai sensei." Lee announced far too loudly the moment I released him and he went to charge off, but I immediately grabbed the back of his vest and pulled him back with a lot of effort on my part. Did everyone besides me just rush ahead and do things, dangerous things, without thinking first?! It was certainly starting to look that way to me.

He turned to look at me with his big eyes. "First of all, quiet down before you get us all caught – these people may be arrogant but last time I checked arrogance doesn't affect hearing. Secondly, I do agree that we have to go get him and soon, but you might not want to charge off so suddenly when this place is full of men who are itching for a fight and who can and probably will kill you without a second thought. Your brain is there for a reason, so stop and use it before acting." I said seriously, finally letting him go when I saw he got my point. "I got a good look at this place on my way to release you and I can guarantee that if you just run out there blindly, you'll get caught again or have to fight for your life. That won't help anyone."

"She has a point. But still, if that's the case, how did you get in and tamper with their water?" Tenten asked curiously.

I guess I could explain that. "I'll put it this way: I have spent my entire life looking over my shoulder, so I have gotten pretty good at sneaking around and avoiding detection." It was definitely the truth. "Plus, these people are stupid as well. They are far too overconfident and that can be the stupidest thing someone can be." That was true too. They weren't even the slightest bit worried that this team would escape. That was confidence on top of arrogance, a deadly combination.

"So what do you think we should do now?" Neji directly asked me and I looked at him, slightly taken aback even though I didn't show it on the outside. Here I thought he didn't trust me.

"It isn't up to me; he isn't my sensei. You should decide what to do now." I stated because it was the truth of this matter. "You have more experience than I do on missions and you're a Jonin Neji."

"That's true, but on this mission we are a team and teams work best when we focus on everyone's strengths and work together. One of yours is obviously sneaking around and remaining unnoticed." Neji said and I did have a protest, but I didn't voice it because I wasn't given the chance to. "I didn't trust you at first, but you came back knowing that."

"He's right." Tenten agreed.

"All that matters now is finding Gai sensei." Lee said and I nodded, even though I didn't understand their dedication. I wished with all the pieces of my broken heart that I could, but I just couldn't. One day I really hoped I might though.

I didn't want this, but I was getting it. "Then follow me. Travelling through the hideout will be too risky with all four of us, so we'll need to travel by roof. From what I saw, they're focusing on any threat that is coming at them from the outside, not a threat that has already infiltrated their hideout." I said with confidence because this was what I was good at... to an extent at least. I mean I had experience with learning people's patterns and learning to be nothing more than a ghost, but even I could still get caught and beaten.

I didn't wait for an answer; I just took off, moving stealthily. I was a ninja after all, even if I didn't have a village or anything other than myself to protect and despite the fact that I was born to be a princess. I heard the others moving behind me and I ran stealthily as well as alertly through the building, back the way I'd come. I kept my senses solely focused on searching for anyone who could be coming our way, but it seemed to me like no one was around and as I peered back at Neji I had to assume I was right because he obviously had some way of knowing when people were around – obviously had to do with his eyes from what I was seeing now. We reached the place I'd come in and I jumped up, using my chakra infused feet to keep me on the roof as I twisted my body to force open the hatch, only to grab onto the sides and pull myself up with my arms. I stood up and waited as they all came through the hole one by one, keeping a close eye on the guards who were walking around the perimeter and who were oblivious to fact that we were even on the roof.

"Gai sensei is in the large room in the right end of the building." Neji said and I noticed that he had veins pulsing around his eyes.

We ran along the rooftop, me not asking questions because I didn't need to know how Neji knew exactly where their sensei was since I was sure I could work it out, and we came to a room that was brightly lit. The roof was partly made out of a thick glass, so we could see everything that was happening inside that room, and thankfully the sun was currently hidden behind the fluffy white clouds so our shadows weren't downcast into the room. Their sensei was in the room, kneeling and chained to the floor, surrounded by many people, and was getting beaten into by the man in front of him as others watched and laughed. See this, this is why people disgusted me, attacking someone who was chained up and who couldn't fight back, not to mention the fact that they were taking pleasure in watching this sort of thing.

"If we go in there now, we have no chance of getting Gai sensei out. Not even we can take out twenty men at once without something bad happening to him. They'd see us. We need to come up with some sort of plan." Tenten said and I realized that I could do that, take all twenty out at once, or at least scatter them.

"I can do that, take some of the twenty out and scatter the rest of them at the very least, that is if I can get in there without being seen and get close enough to Gai." I said and I saw that they thought it wasn't possible, but suddenly a man appeared out of nowhere behind us and Lee spun around quickly and kicked him, sending him crashing into the roof with a loud _thump,_ which made me quickly look around to see if anyone had heard the noise.

No one had heard; some luck on our part. "I know how to get you in." Neji said and I looked at him. How come I had a bad feeling about this?

-Line Breaker-

I slowly walked into the room full of men; I was dressed in the cloak and the mask we had taken off the man Lee had easily knocked unconscious when he had kicked him (I made a side note never to allow myself to get kicked by the fast moving Lee or his sensei Gai for that matter.) The cloak was wrapped loosely around my body so no one could tell that I was in fact a girl, which would be a problem because there were no girls here from what I could tell. See, the original plan had been for me to use a transformation jutsu and turn into the guy Lee had taken down, but I didn't know how to do that properly yet and didn't see the need to do it since they wore cloaks and masks to conceal their identities anyway. I just had to make sure no one wanted to talk to me and if someone did and expected a reply then I'd have to make myself sound like man and hope that worked.

No one seemed to think that I was out of place here and I was somehow able to slowly manoeuvre my way over to Gai, doing my best not to look suspicious as I did so I wasn't caught out – we hadn't gotten caught so far so it would suck to get caught now. I watched as the man hit Gai again in his already bleeding face, obviously trying to get some sort of information out of him since that is what people like this did when they wanted information; they beat it out of you – apparently asking politely is old fashioned and not as much fun for these sorts of guys. That is when I had enough of what was happening and I acted. It was hard to see through this dumb mask, but I was able to work out where everyone was in the room, so I quickly performed hand signs.

"Light style, daggers of light." I said and I formed the light daggers between my fingers, but as I threw them out more than six went flying. More appeared right after and I spun around and threw them too, using quite a bit of chakra to continuously create them because I had to form more than I had ever needed to form in the past in one go. Normally I would only form three at once in between my fingers like claws because it was the only amount I could to when I was working on developing this jutsu. Also, I had never, _ever_ , had to target twenty people before at one time; the highest amount had only ever been three and that was hard enough – these weren't like throwing normal kunai, chakra infused kunai was much easier. I guess in challenging situations you couldn't screw up in though made you push your limits.

They hit some of the men directly in the chest, while others who had more warning dodged in time. It didn't matter though because they were now all away from Gai. The others appeared in the room like we had planned then and started fighting whoever tried to stop them as I took of the stupid cloak and mask that were to annoying to do anything in and knelt behind Gai, who was currently out of it and near unconsciousness from the looks of it. I slipped my kunai out of my thigh sheath and used it to pick the locks of the shackles, freeing him. Being in chains was not a nice feeling.

I heard noise coming from an area to the right and I knew more people were coming the moment I placed my hand against the floor and moved my head closer so I could feel the vibration coming through the floor, which told me that there were a lot of people running towards us – you could hide your chakra, but it was harder to hide your footsteps. The door burst open and I was suddenly hit by something before I could move out of the way and was sent flying backwards. I hit the ground hard, but I managed to flip myself up and move to stand beside Tenten with Lee on my other side and Neji stood beside Tenten.

"So there were actually five of you, and the fifth one isn't even a ninja of the leaf village, yet got past all our defences without detection. Interesting." A man, who I assumed was the leader because he seemed quite arrogant, said as he came to stand in front of the semi-conscious Gai. I wanted to point out that it was quite easy to get past his defences, but didn't get a chance. "So, what is your plan now? Are you going to attack and risk your sensei's life?"

Wait, how did he know that Gai was their sensei? Was it just a guess? I knew what to do though, so I quickly made hand signs.

"Light clone jutsu." I said, grabbing the attention of the others, and about fifteen light clones flashed into existence in the light filled areas of the room. I could have made shadow clones, but we needed more than four clones.

Huh, showed him from the looks of his face. "What the hell is this jutsu?" The leader said with gritted teeth as Lee, Neji and Tenten took the chance I had given them and dashed forward. My light clones were also being very helpful by attacking the men too.

One of the men came at me then and I moved to the side quickly, did a spin and drove my chakra infused foot into his stomach, doing some serious damage as I sent him flying across the room into two other men – it was no secret that I was better at infusing chakra into my feet then I was my fists, so it hurt more when I kicked people. Another wrapped his arm around my neck and held me against his body, which is when I slammed the back of my head into the guys face and swung around, ducking down and kicking him straight in the jaw so hard that he was knocked out cold when he returned to the ground. That is when I noticed that the leader had been knocked unconscious at some point, which was a good thing.

The bad thing was from the looks on the guys faces, we weren't the only ones who were after these guys; I knew that when explosions were suddenly set off in the walls and floor (my guess would be paper bombs, all linked to detonate when ready) and the floor started collapsing underneath us as the roof began falling on top of us. Lee and Neji already had Gai supported between them and were getting him out, with me now running behind Tenten. Unfortunately, I was so busy dodging the crumbling floor and caving in roof that I couldn't dodge the metal chain that wrapped around my leg and ripped me down to the ground. I hit it hard and some of the debris cut into my body, but that didn't immobilize me for long. I sat up, grabbed the metal chain that was wrapped around my leg tightly in my hand and pulled it hard as I got it untied. That sent the person holding it flying across the room and through the wall with a very satisfying _crash_ 'cause they didn't let go of it of time.

Suddenly I felt someone come up behind me and I turned my head swiftly to see Neji standing there with his hand out, waiting for me to take it. I took it hesitantly but quickly considering this room was collapsing and he pulled me up easily, which was when another tremor went through the building.

"Neji, we need to go now!" Tenten shouted and neither of us replied as we took off. I didn't know much about buildings, but I was pretty damn sure that this one was coming down and it was coming down on top of us if we didn't get out.


	10. Chapter 9

Chapter Nine: **Neji's Pov**

We managed to get to the safety of the forest by the time the building came down completely – that was thanks to Naria smashing through a wall to get us out in time and both her and Tenten fighting off anyone who was left – and Lee and I rested Gai sensei against a tree, noticing his bloodied face. That is when Naria took over because she was the medical ninja on this mission. Her hands quickly became surrounded by green chakra as she assessed Gai sensei's injuries, her hands moving without a single sign of hesitation and her eyes focused as she began healing his face.

"Why don't you wake him up?" Lee asked.

She turned her head to look at Lee with a tired sigh. "If I woke him up now would he be as raring to go again like you already are?" She asked him and all he did was blink, while I nodded so she got her answer. "That's why I'm not waking him just yet. I need to assess his injuries and heal them so he doesn't do more damage by rushing off, which could be fatal for him if there are more serious injuries underneath the surface that I can't see. This is the main reason I was sent on this mission to begin with."

She went back to healing him after that, which is when I realized that the cut on her arm and right cheek that she had gotten before were now healed, even though she hadn't had time to heal herself while we were getting out. Who was this girl exactly and why, when I had been watching her before with my Byakugan, had I seen two very different sets of chakra? The only person I had even seen that with before was Naruto, but his had been red, hers had been a light golden that was nearly white. I had a feeling that there was far more to this girl than she let on, which was for certain since she seemed cold and aloof.

Time passed slowly and finally Naria stopped what she was doing. "Well, I was able to completely heal his internal injuries and obviously his external injuries as well, so he'll be perfectly fine. Maybe a little sore, but nothing major. Thankfully I had enough chakra to fully heal everything; all he'll feel is a little tired but from what I've seen I doubt it will slow him down." She explained.

"What internal injuries?" I asked and she looked up at me.

"He had no damage to his bones surprisingly, but he did have some slight internal bleeding that could have worsened if he had immediately taken off like he did when we left the village. To be honest though, it wasn't as bad as I would have thought considering the beating he took in there. They mainly aimed for his face from my analysis, so his internal organs stayed safe; also, their strikes must have been minimal force so they wouldn't seriously harm him before they got whatever they wanted from him out of him." She explained in great detail, which I wasn't expecting, before taking off her pack and opening it up. The fifth Hokage had definitely made the right choice in sending her with us, she was extremely thorough. I was still surprised though; she was acting older than she was and showed great knowledge for someone who was either my age or a year younger.

"What do you have in there, you didn't bring a tent or blanket with you?" Tenten asked curiously.

"It's filled with herbs, powders and liquids that can help with illnesses, poisons and other things like drugging people and knocking them out if you know how to use them, as well as more kunai and shuriken. It's why unlike some, I have two pouches on my belt, one for weapons and one for medical supplies like already made antidotes – I really just need to get a bigger one. Also, I've never seen a need for blankets or tents unless it's winter since I'm used to sleeping outside." Naria explained. Well, the Hokage had said that she was a skilled medical ninja, but I hadn't thought that she would be this dedicated.

She took something out of her back, a small jar, and moved to the side of Gai slightly before she removed the cork and placed it under Gai's nose. He suddenly jumped awake and she moved back, corking the bottle before she got hit by our sensei.

"What was that?" I asked and she shrugged.

She looked at me as she put it away, a small smile on her face. "Something that could wake even the heaviest sleeper, maybe even the dead, not that anyone should ever try waking the dead. It was not fun to get and is even less enjoyable to smell." She replied, putting her pack back on as she slowly got to her feet while Gai sensei jumped onto his feet like nothing had even happened to him.

"Well, I would call that mission a success." Gai announced loudly and proudly, pulling his 'nice guy pose' and I covered my face with my hand. How was he always this intense about everything, even after he was beaten to a bloody pulp and knocked unconscious?

"You were out of it for the most important part of the mission." Tenten protested.

"If Naria hadn't freed us like the two of us had planned we still might not have completed it and if it wasn't for her you would still be injured." I added, considering Naria should be recognized for what she had done to help us.

Our sensei flashed another white smile like always. "Which was my plan exactly!" He said and I slightly glared at him. He was actually trying to say that he planned all of that. "I got myself caught so the four of you could work together and bond as a team, showing your true potential; especially with a member who has never been on a mission before. It was absolutely inspiring to see you all working as a team and putting your faith in Naria. It just proves that the power of youth is the strongest power there is."

"Only you could say such inspiring words Gai sensei!" Lee exclaimed as he sort of started crying and Tenten and I both groaned. These two could be ridiculous; no, they were ridiculous.

Naria, however, didn't even seem to care about their sudden outburst and was just looking at them with an unchanging expression. How could someone not be even the slightest bit bothered by these two idiots when they were like this?

"Well then, now we can head back to the village and inform the Hokage that we completed our mission." Gai announced and now Naria seemed interested despite her previous lack of interest.

"If we have to then I guess that's fine, but not at the same speed at which we travelled before. You were just injured and that takes a certain toll on the body, whether those injuries are now healed or not." Naria said, sounding exactly like a medical-ninja should from what I'd seen. She may not be a recognized ninja from a specific village or any village actually, but she was definitely a ninja.

Gai sensei now lost his smile. "I feel better than ever, so there is no reason we can't get back in half the time."

"I personally wouldn't suggest it as the medical-ninja on this mission, but it is my first mission so maybe I don't know enough. I will have to ask Lady Tsunade what she would have suggested when we get back to the village." Naria said simply, though I will admit that she was quite intimidating and had a fierceness to her.

"Then again, I guess we can take out time considering Lady Tsunade did place you on this team for a reason. We all deserve a rest." Gai said, saying something I never thought he'd say, and then he grinned again. "Let's head off."

Lee immediately followed Gai as he took off in a hurry and Naria followed close behind, with Tenten and I following behind her a second later. I had been watching Naria like Lady Tsunade had asked us to and I'd come to some conclusions. She did want to help and she could work well on a team; she listened to me the moment I asked her to do something and did it without hesitation. She was a skilled ninja who was smart, who could move silently and not get caught and seemed to know what she was doing as a medical-nin. She was also withdrawn and cold, which had caused some problems when she snapped at Lee last night, but I was pretty sure it was an act. She didn't want to get close to anyone in the personal sense for some reason and talking about her past was something she refused to do. I had figured all that out just by watching her since we had met, by watching her actions and listening to the limited things she had said. I also knew that she was not normal, not that it really mattered.

 **Naria's Pov**

I sat on the edge of a ridge that was overlooking a giant part of the forest and that sat apart from where the others were sleeping, my arms resting behind me as my legs hung over the edge. It was obviously night now, but I actually liked the night. I liked looking up at the countless stars that were scattered through the darkness like tiny fireflies, looking up at the dark sky that added depth to the silver moon – I also liked looking up at the sky through the daytime when the clouds were out, trying to see shapes in them. The sky was endless; it has no true beginning and no end because it was eternal and spread across the entire world. It was also untouchable, vast and truly unique, not to mention utterly beautiful; there was nothing else like it in this world. I had actually memorized many constellations from my nights of looking up at the stars, contemplating my existence and realizing the difference between the earth and sky. Maybe my fascination of the night sky was because it was the origin of my name; maybe it was just because it showed me that there was untouched beauty in the world, who knows – I could say that it was one of my hobbies. I saw the same thing when truly looking at the forest: The forest was a living thing just like I was, it lived and it died and it had a life of its own, it also guarded the lives of the animals within it like villages did for the people of the world.

Also, looking up at the sky right now prevented me from looking across the distance of the forest. If I did that now, I would just be able to see the mountain walls that surrounded the valley in which I was born in in the far distance; the home of memories I'd rather forget. It was a kingdom that had become somewhat sheltered from the world that anything new or strange scared most of the people most of the time. There were some within it that saw it as a safe haven because barely anyone wanted to go there; I saw it as a prison cell that I never wanted to return to, mainly because I wasn't welcomed there. I didn't like that place; I mean it had been charming and was a nice place to grow up, but not for me. Even if I happened to find Riku one day, happy and hopefully alive, and he wanted to return there, I probably wouldn't go with him. I mean, there was a part of me that did want to see Ayame again and see what she had become because she had only been four when I had last seen her, but I was too worried that she would share the same opinion as everyone else in that place. I didn't even know what she had thought of me back then or what my parents had told her – I should say what my mom had told her. I knew what everyone else thought of me (at least what I could remember), but my mother had done her very best to keep her away from me out of fear, because she thought that I would 'take their other daughter away from them like I did the first'. I can't blame my father for that, now that I let myself think it he wasn't so bad – it was my mom who was the worst and got the kingdom fearing me, I remembered that recently. She was stupid, wasn't she? She specifically couldn't see the truth of the matter; she only saw what fear allowed her to see: nothing but a monster who had taken over her daughter's body – my mom was really narrow minded. I sometimes thought that maybe there were things I didn't remember or didn't know because all of the bad things were all I could remember from back then, but lately I had been remembering that it was more my mother than my father. All my father did was mainly avoid me when he wasn't telling me to stay inside – I was beginning to question if I remembered everything about him right.

Speaking of what people think of me, I should probably give the person watching me a very obvious clue that I knew they were there. "I know you're there." I said calmly, having worked out long ago that someone was watching me from the shadows of the trees. I could sense their chakra and I had heard them approaching. I was forced to learn in the past to watch my back with more than my eyes; if I hadn't I would have been dead by now.

I turned my head and saw Neji come out of the tree line. "You knew I was there the entire time, didn't you?" He asked.

I nodded. "Pretty much." I answered. "I know why too. Lady Tsunade asked all of you to watch me on this mission because she wanted to know if she could trust me outside the village with a team I didn't know, which I honestly can't blame her for either."

"You're very understanding about that." He said sceptically as he sat beside me and I let out a small 'huh'.

"Not really, I just know what not trusting someone is like and I also know that there are different levels of trust. I don't trust anyone, not really anyways, so I can understand why she wants to make sure that I can be trusted out here on missions for the village." I stated, because if I said nothing these people were never going to look at me without suspicion in their eyes and I was sick and tired of the suspicion. "I'm also aware that you're hesitant around me, probably because I am cold and aloof and sometimes seem emotionless."

"You're also straight forward." He pointed out and I shrugged; being straight forward was just being honest and not caring what someone thought about what you said. I didn't care what opinion people had of me as long as they didn't see me as a monster and torment me because of it. "We didn't know."

That was one way to suddenly shift a conversation and confuse me. "Know what?" He needed to explain.

"That you have a bad past and no family." He said and I let out a 'humph' as I looked down at the part of forest that rested below us.

"Well the bad past part is right, but the no family thing isn't." I explained and then I sighed. I guess there was no avoiding this now that I had let that slip, so I looked at him again. "Normally I don't talk about this because it's my business, but considering I practically bit Lee's head off last night when he asked me about it I guess I should give at least a small explanation since he didn't deserve me acting like that. I do have family out there; I just haven't seen them in a very long time."

"Will you be pissed if I ask why?" He asked and I bit my lip. I was going to be vague here. No one was to know about the princess thing other than Lady Tsunade, Shizune and Kakashi – Ashita didn't even know about that.

"It's pretty simple, they didn't all care about me. They hated me for a very stupid reason, mainly because some were and some still are very narrow-minded people. The only person in my family that I know for sure could stand me the last time I saw them was my oldest brother and in the end he paid the price for that. I don't even know where he is now, or if he's even alive. We were both driven away, though the ways differ quite a bit." I explained as I played with the medallion that hung around my neck as I looked away from him. Truthfully, I had no bloody idea what members of my family were still alive, with the exception of Tadao of course because if he were dead the attacks would have stopped by now.

"You're not cold and aloof by choice; it was the way you survived out here. It became a shield." He said as a statement and I nodded, since there was no point in lying now and he had gotten it right. I didn't want to come off the way I did, but I was too afraid to let anyone in now so I had to try and stay detached, not that it was easy to do. "You should get some rest, Gai sensei will want to be up bright and early tomorrow knowing him and will want to leave immediately."

"Alright." I said and he got up and walked away, leaving me to lie down on the grass and fallen leaves and shut my eyes. Things were certainly different when I was around people and I kinda didn't mind it.

 **\- Line Breaker -**

As I walked over to the camp site I saw that everyone was already awake and were ready to leave, which wasn't surprising – even though the sun had barely begun to rise in the east, painting the sky a mixture of different yet beautiful colours. I however immediately took notice of the berries that Lee were about to eat and, after about a second of working out what kind they were, rolled my eyes. Did anyone know what they should and shouldn't eat in the forest? I mean in this case it was a common mistake, but still.

"I wouldn't eat those if I were you, they're poisonous." I said straight to Lee's face as I grabbed my pack and he immediately dropped them on the ground, his eyes wide, which I wouldn't have thought possible because he already had wide eyes.

"How poisonous are they?" Neji asked.

"Well they don't kill you, but they make you become incredibly sick in the worst kind of ways." I explained; glad that I would now not have to nurse him back to health.

Gai returned then from whatever he was doing. "It's time to head out and embrace the day." Gai said and even though I didn't show it outwardly, this man sort of creped me out. He was so not normal, that was for sure, but neither was I. Still, we were different kinds of abnormal.

 **\- Line Breaker -**

We weren't far from the village now, our trip back not taking long at all because both Gai and Lee seemed to have an excessive amount of energy and enthusiasm. There was only one little/big problem and I was glad that I was the only one who realized it, mainly because I was sure that it was my problem. Someone was following us; now it certainly could be someone who had survived the collapse of the hideout (which had been caused by who knows who) and who wanted to exact revenge, but I had this funny feeling that wasn't it. That feeling was quickly confirmed when a group of shuriken were thrown at me and I was forced to jump up high with a burst of speed so I could dodge them all, before I landed gracefully on the forest floor. I stood there calmly, aware that the team had realized that I had stopped, and came face to face with the three deadly looking men in front of me. It was so damn annoying that there were three of them, I personally preferred only facing one because I knew that they weren't going to stop coming. Plus, I wasn't always going to win in fights – I mean even against Kakashi, I had only won because it wasn't a real fight and he was a little unprepared for how much of my being's chakra I could use at times, but in a real fight Kakashi would surely kick my ass and kill me if he was trying, though not without a strong fight from me first.

"Well, you are a hard girl to find. Hunting is far less frilling than killing." The tallest man, who wore a very long sword strapped to his back said. I also saw matching tattoos on all three men's right arms. How was my uncle getting stronger and so many more assassins to come after me, he would just be an adviser in the kingdom, Nobu would be in charge now? Still, in the last year or two the people chasing me had gotten better and stronger (it had to make me wonder if it was all Tadao's idea). Also, they were coming more frequently too.

"That's pretty much the point: You can't find me; I don't have to fight you and beat up my uncle's lap dogs, which I really don't want to do." I replied, clenching my right fist as I did. I was sick and tired of these types of damn people constantly chasing me. If I wasn't so against returning to the kingdom, I'd go and kill my uncle right now for what he'd done to make my life a literal living hell.

"What's going on here?" Gai asked and the four of them landed beside me, two on each side of me.

"Do yourselves a favour and leave, because if you get in the way of us killing this girl and taking her head, we'll kill you too." One of the men said, one who had half of his face tattooed said. So, my uncle really did want my head on a silver platter; he wanted to see proof that I was dead. I wondered if he knew that if he was given proof, he'd have to pay for their work.

"Naria, what is going on here?" Neji asked me and I was sure that the expression on my face was now hard and fierce.

"The same damn thing that has been going on for as long as I can remember. What's happening is that my life is returning to normal and the fact that my uncle is a psychopath." I replied through gritted teeth. "You should all leave; I can handle this on my own." I added, mainly because I didn't want them getting involved in this. Not because I thought they'd get in the way; it was because I didn't want them getting hurt because more people were after me.

"We're not going anywhere." Tenten said and I was taken aback by that, so much so that I was sure it showed on my face.

"We're a team, and you don't leave any member of your team behind. Even if we weren't, we'd still stay." Neji said, shocking me even more. Did they even know who these people were or what they really wanted, because they'd sure made it clear before?

"Do you even know this girl?" The other man with the other half of his face tattooed asked. The two looked as though they were brothers; brothers with tattooed faces that is.

"Whether we know her or not, we won't leave her behind when we know she's in danger." Lee announced loudly and proudly.

"You'll come to regret that soon; that's if you live long enough." The long sword guy said as he removed his sword and it didn't take them long to attack us. Lee and Gai took on the guy with the very long sword while Neji, Tenten and I fought off the tattoo brothers.

I didn't know how this was going to end, but I was more than shocked that they were so easily helping me fight against people who wanted me dead when they knew nothing about me. I didn't show it, but it wasn't what I had expected.


	11. Chapter 10

**I tried my best to mix her into the story without it messing things up. I'll admit I am planning to write another story with her in it, but if I ever do it won't be following the original story. Anyway, I hope you like it if you're reading it.**

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Chapter Ten: **Naria's Pov**

I blurred forward before Ashita could even blink and hit him directly in his sternum with my leg, dodging his weapon in the process (his weapon was a curved blade made out of a light metal that you could wield in one hand, which is why he wore two strapped to his back.) and sending him skidding backwards as his body smashed flat into the ground, causing dirt and grass to be sent flying up into the air thanks to the power of my hit. Ashita was very good when it came to Taijutsu and Genjutsu, while he was okay at Ninjutsu. Ninjutsu wasn't his strong point, though I did learn he used earth, so at times he fought with weapons – his favorite after his personal weapons was a staff.

I had managed to get through the fight against the assassins with team Gai at my side back when it had happened, but they were practically sent out on another mission not long after we got back. The Kazekage Gaara had been taken by the Akatsuki and they went to back up team Kakashi, which was Kakashi, Sakura and Naruto – who were now back. They had managed to save Gaara's life, thanks to Lady Chiyo's sacrifice, but Gaara was now no longer a Jinchūriki from what I had heard. The one tailed beast Shukaku was extracted from him by the Akatsuki, who wanted Naruto too because he was also a Jinchūriki. Gaara was returned to his village afterwards and was now recovering. Kakashi was now in the hospital here, recovering as well, because he had over used his Sharingan, though the Sharingan he had used had another name apparently. I wasn't sure about anything other than that because I had been rather busy training with Ashita – I still hadn't even met Naruto though I did know that him and Sakura had beaten Kakashi and gotten the bells, funnily enough by nearly ruining the end of his new book (Naruto hadn't known the ending, but Kakashi hadn't known that). Sakura managed to make time to tell me that when we had momentarily saw each other and I had to smile at that.

I walked over to Ashita slowly, but quickly dodged out of the way as he flipped up easily and speedily tried to hit me with a metal staff he seemed to pull out of nowhere. I had dodged to my right and grabbed his extended right arm, flipping him effortlessly over my back so he landed in front of me. His back slammed against the ground as his expression became dazed and I leapt up, flipping my body around in the air, and landed on top of him, face to face as I held his own staff against his neck. His eyes were slightly wide now that his scrambled brain fixed up; I assumed the wideness came from shock.

"I honestly feel sorry for any person who is stupid enough to actually piss you off; I personally never want to see you angry." He said gruffly and I got up off of him as I rolled my eyes, removing the staff from his neck and kneeling beside him as he sat up so I could heal his injuries. I knew I had caused a lot in the last hour, though only bumps and bruises. Still, I could heal them so why not. "You know, for a kid who grew up alone and without a family, I've never met someone as strong as you before." See, this is what I meant when I said he talked too much. He did speak a lot, but he also brought up some things I didn't want him to.

"You're just saying that so I'll stop hitting you so hard in training, which isn't going to happen if you keep being up the family thing." I bluntly replied and he chuckled as he rubbed the back of his neck, causing him to wince as I finished off healing him, my hands emanating green. He knew I was serious about continuing to hit him hard if he didn't cut it out; I could see the proof of that within his teal eyes – I wasn't serious to be honest, since we trained enough as it is and I really had no reason to, but I wasn't going to tell him that.

"Well partly; and I know that you'll keep hitting me if I don't shut up, but what I said, it's true. You have true strength Naria, which in truth involves much more than physical strength. I admire you for that." He said as I finished healing him. "You even beat Kakashi and you were holding back."

"I beat Kakashi-sensei in one test, in a real fight he'd beat me – I'd put up one hell of a fight, but it would happen. Even I can admit that he's stronger than I am, I'd have to be an idiot not to see that. Also, Kakashi may think I was holding back, but I didn't really. The only advantage I have on Kakashi is that I'm really fast and really good at hiding in the forest. He probably thought I was holding back because I could have found him quicker, but that's all I did, as well as tone down my speed because I'm still working on advancing it." I admitted, because it was the truth. I had only won against Kakashi because I had played off how fast I could move by not using my speed that often. My speed is often why Ashita loses as well – he's not the fastest ninja around.

"Well it's good that you can come straight out and say it like that. I'll admit you're probably right, Kakashi is a formidable foe, but I see you lasting longer than most if he ever tried to kill you." Ashita said and then he took my hand in his, surprising me. "Hey listen, back to what I was saying before. I know it isn't always easy for you, being here in the village, but I'm glad you're trying. You kinda remind me of my younger sister."

"Your sister?" I asked, because I didn't know he had one. Then again, he didn't know that I had a younger sister too or that I had two older brothers; he also didn't know that I had no idea if they were still alive.

His face became solemn for the first time since I had met him. "We both have things we don't like to talk about; I'll just tell you that she was killed on her way back from a mission and that she had the same determination you do. She was stronger than I could ever be and took care of me more than I did her. Embarrassing, considering I was older." He explained and I could see the pain in his eyes. He'd lost someone dear to him, it was evident. I watched as he shook his head and looked at me with a smile. "She used to kick my ass too."

"I can believe that." I said as I got up and his face became offended.

"Are you saying I'm easy to beat?" He asked and I shrugged, though in truth it wasn't true – I was just good at beating him 'cause he couldn't use Genjutsu on me, he probably could have beat me when I was a kid and might be able to once he learned how I fought more. He got up off the ground and looked over at Mononoke, who was lying in the shade of a tree. We had trained a little before together. "Your friend keeps beating me, it's beginning to become demeaning." He was now one of the only people here that wasn't freaked out by the fact that Mononoke was able to talk like a human despite the fact that she was a wolf.

Mononoke let out a rough bark that we'd both hear because she wasn't that far away. "She's been fighting off trained assassins and rouge ninja who have literally been trying their utmost to kill her since she was a child, so you shouldn't be surprised that she's excellent at fighting back." She said and I rolled my eyes. Still, since I had come here Mononoke and I had only been spending time together when I wasn't working. Things were changing now.

"I'm well aware of what some of her past was like, at least enough to know it wasn't good." Ashita replied before he handed me a kunai. "Now, let's see how you fight with nothing more than a kunai."

I was still probably going to win.

 **Naruto's Pov**

"Hey Ino." I greeted at I jumped back down to stand with her, Shikamaru and Chōji. I wanted to know who the heck that guy was, but I wasn't going to catch him.

"You okay Naruto?" Chōji asked me and I nodded, but right now all I wanted was to know one thing.

"I'm fine, I just want to know who the heck that guy was." I said, because he pissed me off. How dare he say something like that to me!

"Well we can't help you with that since we've never met him, but on the third member thing, why don't you go ask Naria if she can help. She might be able to." Shikamaru said and I looked at him in confusion, ignoring Ino. Who was Naria?

"Who's that?" I asked because I didn't know that name and Ino smiled.

"She's a ninja we saved a while ago; she helped us randomly on a mission of ours. Lady Tsunade let her stay in the village afterwards and she's been going out on missions apparently. She's easy to find too; she has long white hair, wears blue and walks around with a large white wolf." Ino explained. Wait, grandma Tsunade was letting someone who wasn't a ninja here out on missions?

"I can't guarantee that she'll be able to go on an important mission like this since she isn't a ninja of the village, but she'll know. She's probably out training with her sensei in the training grounds right now." Shikamaru said and now I smiled. That was good to hear and Ino seemed to like her, plus Shikamaru wouldn't have suggested it unless he thought she could help too, he was a genius after all.

"Thanks guys, I'll go find her and ask." I said and I waved as I took off to find the girl they were talking about.

 **\- Line Breaker -**

I found her easy enough, just like Ino said I would. She was pretty noticeable with long snow white hair and a giant wolf resting near a group of trees. I was perched in one of the trees, watching her as she fought the man that was probably her sensei with a kunai, glad Shikamaru had sort of told me where to find her. Well she was good at that at least. She suddenly disappeared from the field a second later with a burst of speed, leaving a confused guy standing there. Wow, she was fast.

"Naria?" He asked, at least that's what I heard before I was suddenly kicked out of the tree and sent hurtling into the ground, which hurt like hell as I hit it face first.

"What the hell?!" I exclaimed as I wiped the mud off my face and turned around as I pushed myself off the ground, coming face to face with the person who had just kicked me. It was Naria.

"Baka, you're a ninja right, so get better at spying on people. I knew you were there from the moment you arrived." She said in a hard voice and I became instantly irritated. Still, I did notice that she had extremely dark blue eyes and an emotionless expression on her face.

"Don't call me Baka! My name is Uzumaki Naruto!" I said as I stood up and she crossed her arms.

"Oh, I know who you are now that I've seen your face and what your name is, I still don't care however. Baka suits you." She said and I just got more annoyed with her. Who was this chick, she kinda reminded me of Sasuke and Gaara? "So Baka, what do you want?"

"What, no apologizing for kicking me for no reason?" I asked and she rolled her eyes. Yep, definitely reminded me a little of Sasuke.

"To be honest, I had no idea it was you, but this still teaches you not to watch me from the trees. I have a lot of people who want me dead, so I don't like being spied on." She explained and I let out a 'humph'.

"I can see why." I muttered under my breath before I thought about what I was saying and her eyes became daggers. Wait, did she hear me?

"I heard that!" She growled and I took a step back, wide eyed. This chick was scarier than Sakura was when she was mad and that was saying something; she could even come close to rivaling grandma Tsunade.

"Naria, I'm just going to go now." Even her sensei was scared of her as he took off quickly; it was all over his face.

"And here I thought you were my babysitter." She said to him as he left, then she looked back at me and sighed. "Now, are you going to tell my why you're here Baka instead of just saying somethin' rude about something you don't understand?"

"I told you not to call me that." I said through gritted teeth and she sighed.

"And I told you that I don't care right this second, now what is it you want from me? I'm assuming you're here for a specific reason, so why don't you tell me what it is." She said and I was now wondering if I should ask her to go on this mission and help me out. I had to though, I had no other choice.

 **Naria's Pov**

I listened to Naruto explain everything about the mission he needed another member for to go on from my position of a small boulder and I sighed. Well he was about to be disappointed, because there was no way I could go.

"I can't go on this mission." I said honestly and he didn't seem happy about that.

"Why not?! You've gone on others according to Ino!" He asked in a complaining voice and I sighed to myself. This is why I tended to avoid people, they were too much trouble some of the time, but at least these people weren't murderous from the looks of it and they were actually pretty enjoyable to be around. However, I was getting this weird feeling from Naruto that I had never felt with anyone else before and I had this strange feeling that it had to do with the tailed beast within him.

This was going to take some explaining to get him to understand. "Four reasons. One, I'm not an official member of the leaf village and you're going to need an official and permanent third member on your team soon enough, especially when Kakashi gets better. Two, those damn old people that Tsunade has to talk with have a problem with me; they will give Lady Tsunade hell if I go and I don't want that. Three, you and I have something very specific in common..."

"Are you saying you're like me?" He asked in surprised and I gave a slight smile because I couldn't produce a full one… yet. Well, he caught on to that pretty quickly.

"I'm not a Jinchūriki like you are, no, but I do have a being sealed within me like you do." I explained and he seemed surprised.

"What kind?" He asked and I let out a humorless laugh.

"I have no idea honestly; I just know that it isn't a tailed beast and that it's some sort of light being or something. Other than that, I know nothing about it." I explained and he seemed confused.

"Your one's never talked to you?" He asked.

My eyes widened. "Wait, they can talk to you?" I asked and he nodded. "Well that is something nice that I didn't know. Apparently, mine doesn't give a shit as to whether I know what I am or not." I said, mainly to myself.

"So, you gonna' tell me what the fourth reason you can't go with us is?" He asked and I sighed. Well, let's see how he took this.

"I can't risk being around anything that has to do with that snake Orochimaru; he wants me dead. So, there are the reasons." I said and he seemed to growl.

"What the hell does the snake that the teme went off with want with you?" He asked and I shrugged.

"He originally wanted me to join him when he found me alone in the forest and found out that I was... special in his books. I told the snake to go to hell and burn to death. He retaliated by cursing my other sensei and sending him to kill me, which is what he's still trying to do. Apparently, he can't handle rejection." I explained honestly and Naruto sighed. "Are you sure you should be going; I mean the Akatsuki are after you?"

"What makes you think that?" He asked.

"Gaara, the fifth Kazekage, was a Jinchūriki and they took him, so are you Baka. When you have a brain, it isn't too hard to work out that they'd want you too. They obviously have some kind of master plan and the Jinchūriki are obviously at the heart of it, meaning you've got a target practically painted on your back." I stated and though he did seem irritated by what I had bluntly said, he didn't complain about it.

"I have to go; I have to find Sasuke and bring him back and this can help me." I understood that. I'd take any chance I could to find Riku; it wouldn't matter to me who the information came from unless it came from Tadao. "How did you even know about me?" He asked and I wondered if I should explain, which I decided I should even though I wasn't going to explain in full detail. For some reason, and I can guarantee that it wasn't his sunny attitude and bright smile, I felt comfortable telling him this. Maybe it was because he was the first person I had met that was like me, at least sort of.

"Kakashi told me once when we saw each other again. See, he saved my life when I was nine and near death and started me on the road to becoming a ninja. I owe him a lot." I explained and then I sighed. "You should go; I have a feeling you'll have a third member by now. Things usually move quickly here when something is important."

"Yeah, you're right. I just hope they're not as irritating as the guy who attacked me earlier." He said and then he held out his hand to me. "It's good to meet you Naria."

I shook it easily. "You too." I said and then I watched as he grinned and began to leave, which is when I decided to add something. "Hey Baka!" I shouted and he looked at me with an irritated look – I was going to keep the nickname up for a little while, but soon I'd call him Naruto. "Good luck, I hope you find out what you need to from whomever your meeting to find Sasuke."

"Thanks Naria." He said before taking off. I had a feeling his new teammate was going to be everything he didn't want them to be.

"Well that went rather smoothly; you got along with him, except for the name calling." Mononoke said as she came to my side and all I did was look up at the sky. I wasn't going to admit it out loud, but knowing I wasn't the only different one out there and seeing someone who was kinda like me had lifted some of the weight off my shoulders. I mean I don't know if Naruto would understand what I'd been through even if I told him, but he understood being different and having people look at you that way.


	12. Chapter 11

Chapter Eleven: **Naria's Pov**

I walked through the hospital, having just recently finished my shift and changed out of my work uniform, and went to knock on Kakashi's door until I noticed that it was already open. I stood in the doorway, looking in to see Kakashi sitting up in the hospital bed reading his book and the perverted sage standing leaning against the wall next to the window. Naruto's team had left for their mission already and, apparently, Tsunade wasn't happy with the person she was forced to put on the team.

I knocked on the door frame, gaining both Kakashi's and Jiraiya's attention, and Jiraiya seemed to be shocked. "You, what are you doing here?!" Well, that was an acceptable reaction.

I went into the room. "I happen to live here now and work in this hospital, so I thought I'd check up on Kakashi before I left."

"Well isn't that nice, I would have never thought you cared that much about me." Typical Kakashi; he was teasing me. Still, I had to wonder why he never took that mask of his off. I bet he even wore one as a kid. "I hear you and Naria met in an interesting way Jiraiya."

"It was interesting all right; the first thing I saw was her fist hitting my face. I sort of thought she was Tsunade at first, she hit a little like her, though softer and the fist was smaller. That is until my head cleared from being smashed into the boulder I was standing beside and I saw a twelve-year-old white haired girl standing there. She gave me a lecture like Tsunade would too, though a less violent and loud one." Jiraiya said and I shrugged as I sat down in the chair next to Kakashi's bed.

"I'm not going to apologize for that if that's what you want; you deserved it. Also, I could have kicked you." I stated simply.

"How exactly did I deserve to get hit into a boulder?" Was he really faking innocence and asking me that question?

"I'm pretty sure my calling you 'perverted sage' instead of your given name says it all." I said simply, one of my legs resting on top of the other. At least I didn't hit him now that I was stronger, or kick him for that matter. I kicked a lot harder now than I hit because of the amount of chakra I could channel into my feet.

"That's just your opinion." Huh, no it wasn't.

"Actually, according to Sakura its Naruto's too. He calls you pervy sage if I'm right, which I have to say is probably a much better name for you." I said as I rested my head on one of my hands. "Also, I'm assuming by the looks that you had on your faces, that the conversation I interrupted was about Naruto."

I was right; the looks on their faces said it all. I didn't completely understand good looks, but I understood bad and uncomfortable ones. "What makes you think that?" Jiraiya asked.

"Well aside from those stupid, inappropriate smutty books you write, Naruto is the only thing I know about that you two have in common. It's not any of my business of course, but I can tell by the looks on your faces that the conversation was about the nine-tails." I said bluntly and Jiraiya didn't seem happy.

"How do you know about that?" He asked.

"I told her." Kakashi said before I could speak and then he looked at me with a questioning gaze, making me nod. I knew what he was asking without him needing to say the words and honestly, it was going to get out sooner or later so he could just go ahead and tell Jiraiya. "Naria is like Naruto, she has a being sealed away within her just like he does and when I told her it was so she knew she wasn't alone. She isn't a Jinchūriki, but she isn't normal. It's why she has so much chakra at her disposal."

"That does explain the power, but what do you mean she isn't a Jinchūriki?" Jiraiya asked and this time I got in first.

"Like I tell everyone who asks me that, I have no idea what it is. All I know is that it has something to do with light, it gave me this mark." I said, showing the white mark that currently rested above my heart on the left side by unzipping the dress slightly and moving it to the side. "And turned my raven black hair snow white. That is all I know and will probably always be the only thing I know since it won't tell me, but to be honest, the fact that I can't hear it might have something to do with me."

"How'd you know they can talk to you?" Kakashi and

"Naruto brought it up when I talked to him." I said, which is when a knock came from the door and I turned my head to see Ashita standing there. "What do you want Ashita-sensei; our training session doesn't begin for another two hours and you're never entirely eager for those."

"Hello to you too kiddo." He said with a smirk and I rolled my eyes at him.

"Would you stop calling me kiddo and tell me what you want, because you're rarely on time and never early." He continued to smirk and I shook my head at him.

"The Lady Hokage wants to see us immediately." He finally explained and I got out of the seat, sighing as I did.

"Alright." Maybe it was a mission or something.

"I'm glad to see that the two of you are getting along." I turned my head back to look at Kakashi.

"I wouldn't say we're getting along just yet. I have to force myself to tolerate him sometimes." I said before walking over to the door with my mask in place as Ashita chuckled while he continued to grin. "Let's go."

I didn't wait for an answer; I just walked off and soon found myself outside of the hospital. Mononoke was standing there, but when I turned to walk the direction of the tower she didn't follow me. Ashita was beside me by the time I realized that and I turned back to look at her. "Mononoke, aren't you coming with us?"

"I'm not needed there, so you can just tell me what's going on later when you get to the apartment. I'm going to head back there now." She said and I nodded, accepting that as she dashed off in the opposite direction.

I wasn't stupid; things were changing between us now that I was living here in the village. Before we had come here and I had decided to stay so I could learn more about being a ninja and have an actual home, Mononoke and I spent all our time together. We had trained together, slept together and travelled around the land of fire together. Now that we were here though, I was often at the hospital or training with Ashita, when I wasn't studying at home, in the library or in Lady Tsunade's office, which I didn't do often because she was busy. Mononoke was always there when I trained, but she rarely trained with me now and spent most of her time on guard duty. The only time we spent together now was when we were at the apartment or in Lady Tsunade's office because I was studying – she slept most of the time when I studied in Lady Tsunade's office and I rarely studied there now because of how busy she was. She also still laid beside me, which helped me sleep a better though I still had trouble. To be truthful, most would say that I really didn't need Mononoke as much as I did when I was younger anymore because I was strong enough to take care of myself now, but being truthful, I wasn't. Physically yes, I was incredibly strong, but mentally and emotionally I wasn't. I was a ticking time bomb, just waiting for something to finally set me off, and Mononoke was the solid rock that was keeping me from falling apart, and I honestly don't think that she knows that. I don't think I can express that either. To think, the person that I counted on most was not a human, she was a wolf. She literally agreed to stay here because she knew it was what I wanted and she wanted to make sure I was okay; to make sure I was protected and was not hurt.

"You know I realized I never asked how long you've known Mononoke Naria, yet now I really want to know so will you tell me?" Ashita asked me casually as we walked through Konoha together.

Why not, he'd just ask again if I didn't tell him now. "I met her once when I was four, but she started staying with me when I was twelve. She's been with me ever since then, even though I really should summon her with my summoning jutsu. She is supposed to grow bigger and taller too, but that has slowed down for the time being, though I don't know for how much longer. She'll have to go sooner or later, especially when she grows bigger. She shouldn't be away from her home for much longer."

"She seems to care about you a lot." He said and I nodded, noticing that he was walking with his arms behind his head. He was not a bad person to be around, not that I was going to tell him that. I still didn't trust him entirely, but I'd admit that to myself and only to myself.

I nodded. "Yes, she does." I said softly. "She's better than pretty much every human I have ever met before I came here, which is why I kinda like animals more than I do humans."

"Why's that?" He asked curiously and I looked at him.

"Because animals aren't as judgemental as humans are; they see you as who you are, while humans look at you as who _they_ _think_ you are. Animals are really just like humans; they have hearts that beat and brains they use to move and think with and they can even talk – even if most of them cannot talk the same language we can – and they have emotions. The thing is: Animals are better than most humans and are probably more humane than some. They kill to survive; while some people kill for whatever reason their brains can come up with." I explained, because even though I didn't really like talking about these sorts of things, this was something I believed in, which should say something deep because I barely believed in anything. "Animals are pure of heart; they aren't selfish and self-serving like some humans are."

"I think that's the most passionate I've ever heard you sound. Still, I can't blame you for thinking that way and you're probably right. From the sounds of it, we humans have pretty much made your life a living hell." Ashita said and if I still had the heart to laugh a humorous laugh, I knew that I would have – I did chuckle though. Fact was though, I don't think I've ever truly laughed more than a couple of times in my life and those times were back when I had Riku in my life. I didn't even remember what it truly felt like to full on laugh, what it felt like to find something funny in something other than a humourless way and what it felt like to be happy enough to be able to laugh. I hadn't been around people enough to laugh, but I was beginning to want to.

I watched parents walk past us with their children, laughing and being what a family should be; a family should not be what my family was: A train wreck. Seeing things like that was what made it hard for me to live here; actually, no, it wasn't hard, it was kinda painful. Here I was forced to see people living the life that I was never given the chance to like. Here I got to see what a family was supposed to look like, which was the opposite of my extremely dysfunctional family, and it hurt because I was forced to see the happiness that I could have had but would never have. It was why I tried avoiding walking around on the streets; I was shown everything I didn't have when I walked around.

Ashita had forced a lot out of me in the last few weeks about my abilities and I had wanted to hit him some of the time – and had actually hit him once – but he was supposed to help train me and he couldn't do that properly when he knew nothing about how I fight. He was definitely cocky and that irritated me sometimes, but what irritated me the most was that he was happy pretty much all the time and I didn't know that feeling all that much. Still, by pushing me to talk, he was also kinda helping me work through some things.

 **\- Line breaker -**

We arrived at the Hokage's office and went in when she told us we could. Shizune was there like normal and Lady Tsunade was sitting behind her desk with a lot of work surrounding her. It made me remember that if I was still a princess I would have to do things like that too, especially if I somehow took over ruling the valley of dreams, but I was no longer a princess. It's not like I hated work, since I studied a lot and I enjoyed studying, but constantly working like this would bug me.

"Ashita, Naria, thank you for coming so quickly." Lady Tsunade said and I saw something in her eyes.

"Of course, you said that you needed to see us as soon as possible. What's the problem?" Ashita asked and she leant forward.

"I'm sending you on a mission to Sunagakure and I need you to leave immediately." She said and now I had to wonder what was happening. Didn't team Kakashi and team Gai just basically return from there?

"What exactly is the mission?" I asked.

"Many ninjas' there have suddenly just fallen ill and they cannot work out what the illness is; they also do not have the resources to help the ill, not with what just happened, so Naria you will need to take whatever you can carry with you and collect whatever else you need on your way there. This request is from the Kazekage himself: He asked for a highly trained medical ninja and aside from Sakura, Shizune and myself you are the most qualified and the only one I can afford to send right now." She said and I nodded, understanding completely why she was sending me, but worried as to how my presence would be taken because I wasn't a leaf ninja. Also, how unlucky could one village get?

Ashita, however, seemed to have a problem with this. "Isn't the Kazekage himself still recovering? And what about Naria, she isn't a leaf ninja?"

"Yes, Gaara is still recovering from what happened with the Akatsuki, which is another reason why he asked for help from us – things are still tense there. Also, I am sending you because Naria is not a leaf ninja. Respectably she could easily go on her own, but I'm sending you as her protector. You are to do all the talking; Naria is to do her job as a medical-ninja and that is all." If only I could laugh, because that was funny to me in a not so humorous way.

"You'd be better off sending me alone." I muttered and Ashita looked at me out of the corner of his eye, seeming annoyed. Damn, he'd heard me. "I'll go pack right away."

"We'll be on our way there in less than an hour." Ashita said and Lady Tsunade nodded.

"Good luck, I know you'll be able to help Naria and they need it." Lady Tsunade said and I bowed before I quickly left with Ashita. We were out of the building quickly.

Ashita sighed. "Well, I guess we will not be sparring today." He said and I saw a look on his eyes that I had to stare at for a moment to work out what it was. He was feeling relieved.

"I'm not surprised you're relieved by that. At least, that's what I think you're feeling. It doesn't really matter though, because we're about to go on a mission that involves rushing to the sand." I said and he didn't seem to know what to say back for once, not that I really gave him that much of a chance. "I'm going to go to my apartment and pack what I need as quickly as I can, then I'll wait at the main gate for you. Try not to be too late." The moment he nodded, I was gone.

 **\- Line breaker –**

"I'm going with you." Mononoke protested for the billionth time (that may be a humongous exaggeration, but I didn't want to fight with her right now but she just kept going) and I refused to look at her as I placed my large family medical book into a large backpack I'd brought just in case something like this arose, knowing I may need it. It was big and precious, so I always tried to take care of it, but I really didn't like travelling with it because I didn't want it to get destroyed. I'd have to find another way to keep this knowledge so I didn't have to travel with it and herbs/plants/other things for medicine when I was needed as a medical-nin in situations like this. I'd have to collect some other things on the way like Lady Tsunade had suggested, especially since I had no idea what was going wrong in Suna and would have no way of knowing until I arrived there.

"Mononoke, for the last time, and I mean that because I have to leave soon, you cannot come with me to Suna." I said as calmly as I could, even though I could even hear the edge present in my voice. I was getting pretty irritated with her because she was the only one that I didn't want to fight in my life and I was arguing with her now.

"I don't see why not." She replied with a slight growl.

I span around and faced her, giving her a deadly serious look that I usually only used when I was pissed off or trying to get people to leave me the hell alone by intimidating them. "That's because you're focusing on me like you always do, not yourself even though you shouldm We both know that with the way you are now you can't go into the desert because of the heat and the sand, and if you didn't know Mononoke, Sunagakure is pretty much a desert, even though it is the land of wind, and you won't like the intense wind if it creates a sand storm either. That is why you can't come with me, it's because your body can't stand it for more than a day and we'll probably be there for a while if whatever's happening is really serious, which from the way Lady Tsunade was acting, it is."

"You make it sound like you're worried about me." She said and I saw disbelief within her eyes, so I took the few steps needed so I was standing in front of her and knelt down, placing my hand on her furry head and gently rubbing it.

"I may not say it, but I don't want you to get hurt or even sick because of me, even though you have gotten hurt protecting me in the past." I said and then I let my mask fall a little and showed a bit of my broken side; my vulnerable side. "I lost the only person who ever really gave a shit about me and who loved me like I loved him because he protected me, so I don't want to see the same thing happen to you Mononoke."

"I wish you would show this side of you more, then maybe..." She started but I was not letting her finish.

"No, no way is that going to happen." I snapped as I put my mask back up. There was no way I was going to show people what I had locked away within myself, behind many walls that had taken years to build. It just couldn't happen; I couldn't and wouldn't let it happen.

"Naria, do you really want people to see you as cold and emotionless for the rest of your life?" She asked and I refused to look at her again.

"The best way to not get your heart broken is to pretend you don't have one." I had learnt that long ago; if you cared you could be hurt, so it's better to pretend that you don't. "Being seen like that is better than anyone seeing me as a monster or worse; a broken child. If they see me as a monster, they'll fear me or attack me because of it, which ironically in much better than them seeing me as a broken child who can be used. I have been through that before and I will never go through that again." I said through gritted teeth, which is when I realized my mistake. Shit, I hadn't meant to bring that up.

"What are you talking about?!" She demanded and I wanted to smash something so very badly right now, despite the grip I usually had on my temper. Of all the things I could slip up on, I slipped up on the one bloody thing I had never told a single person.

"Never mind, I didn't mean anything by it." I said in a hard, sharp voice that clearly meant I did not want to talk about it. Not even Kakashi knew about what I had sort of mentioned just then. I'd never told anyone.

"Naria, that wasn't not no..." She started, but I turned around and looked at her, which shut her up immediately because the look on my face was surely one that meant this wasn't something she should push about.

"Mononoke, I'm telling you to drop it. This isn't something I want to talk about, now or ever. Also, I don't have time." I said slowly, trying to keep myself as calm as I could because she didn't deserve my anger, though I still clenched my teeth at the end, so hard that they could have broken.

"Fine, I'll drop it because you have to leave, but you can't keep doing this to yourself Naria. Bottling up all of your anger and pain, it's going to end up killing you if you don't finally tell someone. You're not really a hard or cold person." She said with a growl and before I knew it, she dashed out onto the balcony (the doors where still open) and leapt down from the building.

As for me, I collapsed onto the side of my bed before flopping backwards, meaning I was now staring at the off-white ceiling. If people wondered why I didn't stay in villages and didn't get close to people, this (what just happened with Mononoke) is the reason why. Being in this village with so many people who were happy and had happy families was like a constant slap in the face that reminded me that I never got a happy life and would probably never have one if I kept this up. That was the same with getting close to people, because if you get close to someone you are bound to get hurt in the end. Emotions made things so difficult, at least the bad ones did and sometimes so did the good ones, and I sometimes thought that the good wasn't worth the bad. Maybe that was because I didn't understand what the good felt like, but maybe it was because I had felt all the bad and was still feeling it and knew just how horrible it made life. I wish I'd grown up differently.

I lifted my arm up to cover my eyes, very small tears breaking through despite my best effort, and I bit my lip so hard that it bled. I hated my life, I hated the overwhelming pain that made my chest hurt and made me feel like I was suffocating as I laid on my bed. I may look perfectly fine on the outside, like I didn't have a care in the world because I didn't give a shit, but within I was slowly yet surely dying and I... I wasn't really sure how much longer I could keep going like this, keep pretending. I had to find something, anything, to help me or else, I honestly didn't know how I was going to end up.

 **\- Line breaker –**

I made my way to where I was meeting Ashita and found him waiting there, which was a first because normally I was the first one anywhere. Then again, after my fight with Mononoke it had taken me a while to get up and get moving. He took in my expression and I was sure he was going to say something so I just walked past him and kept on walking. That is until he grabbed my arm in a firm grip and pulled me to a stop, only to stand by my side and grab my chin with his hand, lifting my face to face his. I knew what he was seeing, an emotionally tired expression, and I knew that he was shocked that I didn't stop him from touching me or hit him away. Normally, I might have, but I was just too tired – I was even too tired to put my mask up all the way.

"What happened? Did you and Mononoke fight or something?" Well he got that right, somehow.

"It doesn't matter; we need to start on our journey to Suna." I said and he sighed, but he let go of my chin.

I began walking again, but I still heard what he said, probably to himself. "You say that, but I've never seen you so drained and sad since we met. I guess that this is the real you." He got that right: Behind the cold façade was a sad teenager.

* * *

 **I'm trying to add in Naruto character's when I can, which involves making up my own story with them when you don't see them. I think my other story will work a bit better than this one, but I'm happy with how this one is working out. Running out of pre-written chapters though, so I better get working on writing more and watching more Naruto.**

 **Also, I'm going back and editing chapters, which includes making Naria's brother fourteen last time she saw him, instead of eleven. So, any updates in the next few days will just be edits.  
**


	13. Chapter 12

Chapter Twelve: **Naria's Pov**

The trip to Suna was actually a pretty quiet one – who would have thought that the normal talkative and happy Ashita could be quiet most of the trip; I really must have looked bad to him to get him to stop with the 101 questions. I hadn't wanted to interrupt that quiet, especially since the trip took the normal travelling time because I stayed at Ashita's pace because not everyone was like me and I knew he wasn't. It didn't matter how many days the trip took though; I wasn't bother by it: All that mattered was that I started helping the moment I got to the hospital in Suna. Now we were coming upon Sunagakure, which was surrounded by a high stone/earth wall. I was slightly tired because sleeping had been a little harder than usual, which is saying something. However, I had managed to get the herbs and plants I needed while Ashita slept and I didn't, which he'd be angry with me about if he knew. I was just glad that my lack of sleep never showed around my eyes or on my face.

"Remember, let me do the talking." Ashita said as we got closer and I nodded as I dashed alongside him. The pace we were keeping now was a quick one, but I had run faster before. "And don't you dare say that I'm going to say something stupid, because I know you were insinuating it before."

"I wasn't. And yes, I unfortunately remember; Lady Tsunade made it pretty clear that she didn't want me opening my mouth unless it had something to do with my specific mission." I said simply and I saw him look at me from the corner of my eye, but he didn't say anything. I wonder if he was sick, because he was acting different right now.

We reached the entrance to Suna and I walked slowly behind Ashita as we were allowed to pass by the shinobi standing there, apparently waiting for us to arrive. I also noticed that Ashita was actually walking in front of me as though he was protecting me. Wait, was he actually taking Lady Tsunade serious?

I didn't have the faintest idea or clue as to where we were going, mainly because I had never been to Suna before (I had never been to any of the main five hidden villages before, I hadn't wanted to risk it, that is until I decided to stay in Konoha), but I had to hope that Ashita knew where we were heading right now – he was talking to the shinobi who was waiting for us for a while so hopefully he'd asked where to go if he didn't know. So, when we walking into a building and came face to face with some guy who did not look that happy when he saw me, it wasn't such a shock when Ashita stood in front of me with his hand slightly out so he could stop me if I tried to move forwards.

"I'm pretty sure the Kazekage asked for an advanced medical-ninja who was a part of the leaf village; she doesn't seem to be and I'm assuming it's her." The man said and I just watched. Oh, it was so hard not to say what was running through my head at the moment. Thank god, this man wasn't the Kazekage, which I knew because he'd basically told me and because Kakashi had told me about Gaara not too long ago, before the Akatsuki happened.

"She may not be an official ninja of the leaf village, but the Hokage trusts her and she is a qualified medical-nin. She's also my student now." Ashita said while I stayed perfectly still and silent like a good girl, the good girl I so wasn't.

"Does the Hokage trust us, because you seem to be protecting this girl?" The man asked and I waited for Ashita's response.

"That's my mission: Protect her from anyone who tried to lay a hand on her while we are outside the village for this mission because her orders were to focus solely on being a medical-nin, nothing more. I'm just making sure she is safe and doing what the Hokage told me to." Ashita explained and now I realized what I hadn't before. The Hokage didn't send Ashita with me solely because she was afraid I'd say the wrong thing; she had sent him because she was worried I'd be attacked by more assassins. Huh, so this was what Ashita was like on missions – he was actually more respectable.

"I'm here to help the ninja who are sick, so why don't you let me do that instead of questioning my presence here after we took the time to quickly travel here. More time spent here could mean less time for the affected." I said, speaking for the first time, and I hoped it came out calm and helpful so Ashita didn't get annoyed at me or in trouble. "I may not be a ninja of the leaf, but I am a member of the renowned Kohinata family, known for their medical knowledge, so I know what I'm doing." I said, which caught his attention. So, he had heard of my family, who would have thought.

"Follow me." He said and I did.

"I never thought I'd have to bring up my family name." I muttered to myself, because I had worked hard to leave that part of my life behind.

I knew they might know who my family was because, even though I didn't know where the Kohinata family originally originated from because I'd never been told when I had asked, the valley of dreams was technically between the land of wind and the land of fire, though that was a big technically. I didn't know much about my family; I only knew that originally only women were for some reason born in all of the generations before mine, that twins ran in that side of the family (my mother had had a twin sister named Ami, but she had died right after birth) and that we were well known from what I was told, in the land of fire and land of wind for our healing. We weren't the best, Lady Tsunade was, but we were still amazing. I probably was better than most of my predecessors, I mean I recently learnt how to successfully do the memory restoration jutsu when it was once nothing more than an idea.

"You did well; I saw that you held back from saying what you really thought." Ashita said in a whisper, knowing I'd hear, and I shrugged slightly.

I was led silently into the infirmary or hospital or whatever they called it (it was quite different to the Konoha hospital, which I had become used to) and I saw some men and women lying on many beds. There was more than fifteen in the room and from the looks of it; they were all at different stages of the illness they apparently had, though not by much. Some were sweating greatly and struggling to breathe, others were just unconscious for now.

I immediately went into the room without being told not to and found a table where I could place down my bag. I grabbed out my family's medical book and placed it on the table with my bag still beside it, knowing I'd need some of the things within it sooner or later. If I was going to do this, help them when they desperately needed it, then I was going to do it right.

"Are you the medical-ninja the Kazekage asked for from Konoha?" One of the male medical-ninjas asked me and I turned around, nodding to confirm that that was who I was. Right now, no matter what was bothering me, I had to be a calm minded medical-ninja and do the job I had come here to do right. The lives of these people depended on me doing it right and the man in front of me seemed relieved that I was here.

"I am; now I need you to tell me everything you know so far and explain these people's symptoms to me in the order they appeared in each person." I said in a commanding tone and he instantly nodded. There was no time for playing around if this was as serious as it seemed, and from how fast he reacted I knew that it really was bad.

It didn't take me long to get into the flow of things; I had to ignore all the comments Ashita made about me seeming more grown up when I worked as a medical ninja, I didn't feel the need to tell him why that was – I also didn't feel the need to point out that he actually acted grown up when he was on missions. I was handed the charts of every single one of the patients and I was reading over every single one of them as I worked; I also examined all of the patients myself because I wanted to be thorough.

I worked hard; that is until the person I assumed was the Kazekage walked into the room (he wasn't wearing his Kazekage robes, which I knew he had because I happened to know a lot now thanks to studying.) I turned to face him and for a moment I just stared, though not in an obvious and uncomfortable way. He was a little bit taller than me, I could tell that from where I was standing, and he had fair skin. He also had short, spiky auburn hair with his forelocks parted to the left side and sea foam green eyes. His notable unique traits were his tanuki-like black eye rings and the red kanji that means "love" on the left side of his forehead, as well as having no eyebrows. Funnily enough though, his eyes caught my utmost attention. Not the colour they were, though it was an amazing colour, but what lied within them – eyes are the windows to the soul after all. His eyes reminded me so much of my own; I could see all the pain, loneliness and anger. I could also tell that he was tired.

Despite focusing on that, I did notice the two-people standing on each side of him, a girl and a boy. The girl had blonde hair that was tied up into four parts and was wearing a black, just like the other guy was but he was in a full body suit that had a hood. The other guy had purple lines painted on his face. I didn't take much notice of them really; it was mainly Gaara who caught my attention. I hadn't expected him to come here, not after what he had just gone through.

 **Gaara's Pov**

"From what I heard she's not a ninja from the leaf village, but apparently, she has the Hokage's trust and she seems to know what she is doing." To be quite honest, I was not actively listening to what I was being told because I was led into hospital and became face to face with the girl in question.

It had been hard enough to convince Kankurō and Temari that I was well enough to come; they worried because of what had happened with the Akatsuki and thought I had not recovered enough. However, these were the people I protected and I wanted to know what this medical-ninja Lady Tsunade had sent thought. Also, Kankurō had just been poisoned yet had the nerve to tell me to rest when he should be too.

"Alright, I want you to analyse each person's blood and give me the results the moment you have them. I want to cover all bases on this because whatever this is, it is not common; it isn't even remotely common from the looks of it. I can see why you have yet to identify what it is; these symptoms are unusual in how they've appeared to say the least. Also, for people to return from missions and instantly collapse is very concerning, especially since we cannot determine the time it took them to collapse after the virus entered their systems." She said, a great depth to her voice as her eyes scanned the chart she held in her hands with great focus.

"You know, hearing you say things like not common is kinda funny when it is coming from you; so is seeing you be so responsible." Said a man I had never met before, though he obviously came with her.

"You know that making inappropriate comments right now will only lead to you getting hit by me after I've helped these people, so please cut it out Ashita-sensei. I'm not making comments about you being responsible for once." She said as she continued to look at the chart like she wasn't making a threat, before her eyes flicked up and landed on mine.

This girl was about my age and seemed to be around the same height I was with creamy, lightly tanned skin, seeming physically strong. She had long, pure snow white hair that was tied up in a long ponytail on the right side of her head and a long side fringe on the left side that covered half her left eye. She wore a dark blue dress that nearly matched perfectly with her eyes that reminded me of the sky as day turned into night. However, when I looked into her eyes, I saw a deep pain and loneliness there. She had an emotionless expression on her face, but her eyes were deep and were filled with pain. It was as clear as day to me.

"Naria, this is the Kazekage Gaara and his two siblings Kankurō and Temari." The leaf ninja said from where he rested against a wall. "Lord Kazekage-sama, this is Naria, she's been working with the leaf village as a medical-ninja, she's also my student despite her rudeness towards me. I'm Kazuma Ashita, a Jonin of the leaf village."

"Don't say idiotic things and I won't be rude, it's as simple as that. I don't have time for moronic behaviour right now." Naria said bluntly.

"Ouch." Ashita said and the girl Naria just rolled her eyes.

"So why did the leaf village send you and not the pink haired girl Sakura who was here not long ago?" Kankurō asked and Naria did not seem fazed by the question at all as she went back to doing what she had previously been doing.

"She is currently on a mission surrounding some information she received from a member of the Akatsuki with her team, so she's obviously unable to come. That is why Lady Tsunade sent me; I am more than well versed in illnesses, diseases and poisons and my knowledge of herbs is pretty good." She replied, her unchanging voice unwavering as she started to skim through the book in front of her. I however did notice that she had stated that Naruto was on a mission that possible had something to do with the Akatsuki, a thought that didn't please me because he was a tailed beast and that was what they were after. I was proof of that; living proof thanks to Lady Chiyo's sacrifice.

"Can you help them?" I asked her seriously and she looked back up at me.

"If it's within my power and ability than yes, and I won't give up until I have thoroughly exhausted every possibility, maybe not even then." She said and I nodded, surprised by her determination, but then her face became serious. "But I'm not going to lie since these are the people that you protect and you yourself have been through enough already. This illness it's... it's not normal. I know pretty much every illness and every symptom that accompanies it – I've studied this stuff for years – but these don't match any of them, but that doesn't mean I won't try my best to work out what this is."

"You don't know these people; so why would you refuse to give up?" Temari asked her and she just looked at us, no emotion at all.

"Giving up, no matter what the situation, is not in my nature, so I'll have to ask that you leave for now so I can find out what this strange illness is before anyone progresses too far. This village has been through enough lately from the sounds of it, so I don't want to add these people's deaths into the mix." She said and I nodded, because for some reasons I trusted that she knew what she was doing and would do what needed to be done. Also, she was right about the fact that the village had been through enough.


	14. Chapter 13

Chapter Thirteen: **Naria's Pov**

Alright, I don't often say this or think it because I try my best to control my anger at all times, but I was going to say/think it now. I was getting seriously annoyed and that annoyance was quickly leading to anger, even though I tried my best to never get angry because it never ended well. Still, angry I was and I wanted to hit something really bad.

I was angry at myself because we had been in the sand for three days now and I was no closer to figuring out what this illness was then I was when I got here. Sure, I knew what it wasn't now, which was basically every other illness I knew of, but I still didn't know what it was and the first group of people who had become ill were now in critical condition; they were slowly but surely getting closer to death. They had incredibly high fevers, they were weak and couldn't move on their own now, they were struggling to breathe and their heart rates were accelerated.

"Why the hell isn't this making any sense?" I asked myself softly, running a hand through my loose hanging hair – it had come down at some point and I couldn't be bothered putting it back up.

It was taking up all of my energy just keeping them stable, which I had been doing for three days straight with little rest – that equals 66 hours if you counted the six hours I'd rested. I'd barely slept since I had come here and that was because I wanted to work this out, despite the fact that I was tired – Yes, I was used to not sleeping well when I did sleep, but this was worse. I had barely rested my eyes for a few minutes here and there between my four one hour breaks and only sat down when I was reading. Whether I wanted to admit it or not, I cared about saving peoples' lives, at least the lives of people who weren't trying to kill me, and I wasn't willing to let these people die.

"Naria, I don't think they can hold out much longer." A man, his name was Nori if my memory served me right, said and I nodded because I knew that already.

"I know that, but I can't work out what this is despite my best effort. I have read every illness in this book and none of them have all these symptoms yet we know that it's only one illness. I've even read many other books and nothing is coming together. If this… _thing_ is an illness, I don't know it." I said, my hands against the table as I took in a deep breath. I needed to clear my mind, but I couldn't do that looking at a book that I had been staring at for more hours than I care to admit. "Okay, I need to think clearly and I have to do it my way."

I didn't wait for a reply; I just went over to a wall and sat down with my back against it. I shut my eyes and did my best to relax. Sometimes meditating was the only way to get rid of everything else and focus on one thing; to calm the mind for one sole purpose. Thankfully I had gotten quite good at it alone in the forest with Mononoke, who was actually quite wise, though not as wise as her mother Tsukino.

"Are you sure that will work?" Nori asked me.

"Let's just say that yes, I'm sure." I said and then I shut my eyes again. "I am as sure of that as I am about the fact that we have to work out what's going on now or else."

I shut off everything, sound and sight, and just let my mind clear itself.

"How long has she been sitting there doing nothing?" A man said after a while and I opened my eyes, seeing the Kazekage's brother Kankurō standing in the doorway.

"I am not doing nothing; I'm trying to work out what I am missing here and what the hell this illness actually is so these people's lives can be saved." I said, trying not to take offense by his tone.

This was the village he came from; I didn't come from here. The problem was that I knew that something wasn't right, I knew that for certain and that was saying something, but I couldn't work out what it was. I had studied this stuff continuously for years when I was in the forest, but I still couldn't work out what it was. It was like I was missing something so obvious and it was driving me crazy.

"I thought you were supposed to be one of the best when it came to this sort of stuff." He said and I sighed as I shut my eyes again.

"I am. I know nearly every illness there is, yet this one is not adding up to any of them. I know all of the symptoms, all of these people got them at the exact time in the exact same way, but I still can't…" It was then that my eyes snapped open and I realized what it was that I was missing. "Well shit." I was such an idiot!

I quickly got up and ran over to the charts and read them all again and my suspicions were confirmed. No wonder I couldn't figure out what illness it was. How could I find an illness that wasn't a bloody illness in the first place?! This is what I get for over thinking things and assuming things. I was told it was an illness and that is what it looks like, but that is what it wasn't.

"Naria, what is it?" Nori asked me and I looked at him as I started going through my book to find the page that I now knew I needed. I knew exactly what this was now, though I wouldn't if I hadn't read every page in this book a thousand times over.

"I'm an idiot for not working this out before. An illness progresses differently in every person because our immune systems develop differently for many different reasons, like how and where we grow up, who and what we spend our time around and what we eat and drink, yet this illness has progressed identically in every single person, I mean exactly the same. No illness or disease I know of does that, not when it's identical in so many people, but there is something out there that does, something that should have appeared in their blood-work, but didn't" I said as I found what I was looking for.

"Poison. A poison would progress the same way in anyone, unless it was altered or mixed with something." One of the other men said and I nodded, because they had come to the exact same conclusion I finally had. "But is there a poison out there that progresses like an illness and doesn't show up when you test for toxins?"

"There once was, but all of the flowery plants that produced it were destroyed. They were all burnt a long time ago." A voice said from the doorway and I turned to see the old man who I now knew as Ebizō, who was the younger brother of Lady Chiyo (I was still surprised that she saved Gaara's life by resurrecting him after the Akatsuki killed him when they removed the one tail Shukaku and dying herself, 'cause from what I heard that wasn't what she was like.) I didn't acknowledge Kankurō as I looked at Ebizō.

"Well, apparently, it's still out there because every single symptom matches this poison, so does the time frame. The flower is still out there, though it might only be a few, meaning all these shinobi must have crossed the same path at some point." I said and then I sighed because I knew what had to be done. "Alright, I thankfully brought everything we need to make the antidote with me, so that is what I am going to do. Now, I need someone to find out where these people were before they came back ill and make sure to find the flower and destroy it before more become sick – find a place all of them would have gone." I said as I quickly draw the flower on a piece of paper, copying the image in my book and writing the name.

"I'll do that; I am the Kazekage's brother after all and it stops him from doing it." Kankurō said, taking the paper when I handed it to him as he came over, before he turned back around and walked off.

I grabbed my bag off the floor, knowing that I had to get to work. This poison, it was deadly, because once you hit the third stage, you die soon after. There was a reason it was imperative I got to work on the antidote, because most of them had just reached the third stage and that worried me. I quickly told the medical ninja who wanted to help what to do.

 ** _Hours Later (afternoon on third day)_**

I gave the antidote to the last person, having to hold up his head up with my free hand as I did so he would swallow it, and let out a small sigh of relief as I rested his head down again, wiping the sweat from my brow away with the back of my hand. I placed the cup down and headed over to one of the men that had been in the last stage and placed my three middle fingers against both sides of his neck. Everything seemed to be better now, which meant that my duty was now done and it had ended well despite the great possibility that it would not. His breathing was evening out, meaning that his lungs were clearing and the swelling in his airways was going down. Still, I watched as my hands were enveloped in green chakra and slowly trailed my hands down just about the man's body, immediately knowing that all of his vitals had finally returned to normal.

"I have to say Yukina Naria, you are a prodigy." Ebizō said and I immediately stopped what I was doing as my posture became stiff, turning to face Ebizō as I let the chakra fade.

"You know, I don't recall telling you or anyone else that my last name is Yukina, and Ashita wouldn't without asking me because he knows better." I said in a guarded voice because I didn't like it when people knew things about me before I told them; it normally meant very bad things for me.

"You didn't have to; your grandmother Aya told my sister and I all about you, so I knew it was you by your name and hair colour." He said and that kinda stumped me. "She thinks you're dead."

"Yes, and I'm pretty sure that she doesn't actually give a shit if that's true or not." I said, which wasn't respectful, I know, but I didn't give a shit. "How is it you even know my grandmother in the first place?" That was the one thing I just didn't know.

"Because the Kohinata family originates from the land of wind and your grandfather Todo Natsume was raised here in the village, despite originating from the land of water and being a water chakra nature." He said and my eyes widened. Wait, my mother was from the land of wind? I hadn't known that before; I hadn't known anything about my grandparents because my father's parents and mother's father had all died before I was born.

It actually also explained how my parents ended up in an arranged marriage. The valley of dreams was in-between the land of fire and land of wind, but part of neither. It was a large valley that's mountain walls touched the boarder of each land. Somehow, my grandparents and Aya must have met to arrange the marriage, though I never understood why.

"Well that explains why the flower is in the book. If my mother's side of the family is from the land of wind, then of course they'd know of it." I said and then I looked back at him. "Is my old crone of a grandmother actually still alive?" I asked, because if she was I did not want her knowing that I was alive.

He didn't seem pleased that I had called my grandmother an old crone. "Yes, she is." Well I wasn't taking back what I had said for one big reason: I have met that woman only once in my life and the one time I did meet her she looked at me and then walked away without a single word. After that, she avoided me like I was a disease; she wouldn't come within one foot of me and whenever she was around I either wasn't allowed in the room or she'd literally walk out when I walked in.

"Then if you see her again don't tell her that I'm alive because she doesn't get to know that. I have enough people coming after me as it is; I don't need her telling the valley that I'm still alive. She wanted nothing to do with me then, meaning she does not get to have anything to do with me now." I said bluntly.

"I won't, she did happen to tell my sister and I things that no one should say about their grandchild, something I think you already suspected. Still, I think I should say this, even if it means nothing to you." Ebizō said and I just waited. "Aya would be proud of you if she could see past everything else, especially what you are. From what I saw, you have surpassed even her when it comes to your knowledge and ability. You may not be proud to be a Yukina, but you should be proud of being a Kohinata."

"I'm not proud of that; it is actually the family name I am most ashamed of, which is why I want nothing to do with my grandmother and anyone else in my family that's like her – I'm prouder to be a Yukina, because my father was not that bad of a parent, at least before what he did. I'm proud that I'm a great medical ninja and have the skill to help people, that's what I'm proud of." I said softly, before I realized that I had to make sure everyone else was okay. All of the other medical-nin were taking what I would class as a well-deserved break while I was handling everything here – I was close to dropping because no person could survive without sleep, but I had the strength and stamina to keep going for now, just until the others who were exhausted had rested for a while. "I should return to work, but just... _please_ keep the truth about my origins to yourself."

"I have a feeling the Kazekage would understand, but I'll keep it a secret." Ebizō said before he left. I was glad that it was him I met, I have a feeling that I would not have gotten along with Lady Chiyo for some odd reason.

I went back to checking all of the patient's vitals with a surely tired expression, while within I was actually worrying quite a bit. I didn't like it when people knew about me, I actually hated it. Everyone who knew about me when I didn't tell them... well, they had other agendas. I didn't think the Ebizō did, but I still didn't like it. Honestly, did my grandmother have to be such a blabber-mouth? Who am I kidding, of course she did.

"You are so troublesome Naria; do you know what taking a break means?" Ashita asked as he came into the room and I wondered why I hadn't just left when I heard someone coming so I didn't have to talk. Ashita talked more than I could listen and I was beyond tired right now.

"It means relaxing most of the time and as it has been pointed out to me by you before, I don't know what that is, so why ask me that when you already know that I don't. Still, yes, I know what taking a break is, I just don't know how to."

"Well sitting down and getting some rest might be a good start; I know you have barely slept since we got here, other than the four short one hour naps you accidently took." He suggested and I looked up at him as I finished off what I was doing.

"I guess it would be, but like I've said before, I'm just not good at that. When you have to fight your way through life just so you can keep yours, you really don't get many or any chances to relax or rest. The village is the first time in a long time that I haven't had to keep moving." I admitted as I walked over to my backpack, grabbing my family book and putting it away. I was going to have to collect more herbs and whatnot on the way home... I mean back to the village.

That is when I heard a ruckus and I shut my eyes, focusing on listening to what was going on and not on my strong urge to sleep.

"Yeah, well, that's what concerns me. If you keep going like this, you are going to collapse and I don't want to see that happening. I know you trained to the point of collapsing in the past, but still." Ashita said, but I didn't answer him because I now knew what was going on because the people were yelling.

"Yeah, the chance of me collapsing is nothing compared to the fact that someone is trying to kill the Kazekage again and no one can get into the room because of a Genjutsu. Also, Temari and Kankurō are stuck in the room with him and the person trying to kill him but can't do anything." I said bluntly before running from the room, Ashita following closely behind me.

"Naria, I know your hearing is good, but it can't be that good." Ashita said as he ran after me and I didn't say a word. He really didn't want to know how good it was when I really focused, and I didn't care if he did. Right now, I was actually more focused on what was going on.

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 **I know the ending might be a bit unrealistic, but Genjutsu can do some terrible things. I added it in to develop the story and explain more of Naria's backstory, which will be explained over the next two chapters. So, keep an open mind when it comes to the next two chapters, 'kay. Hope you guys enjoyed this chapter, and I'll see you, figuratively, in the next chapter.**


	15. Chapter 14

**Well, here's another chapter. I didn't know if I was going to update or not, as a lots happened in my life lately, but since I still have some pre-written chapters, I thought why the hell not.**

 **Also, MangaFox1233, I was so happy to see your review. I hope I keep entertaining you. And the same goes for lunaxsol, who I've had many conversations with regarding the story. I appreciate every review I get, except for the blatantly rude one that didn't need posting. I love hearing from all who like my story and even from those who have general advice and just telling me things they think, though doing so politely. If anyone doesn't like my story, they don't have to read it - it's that simple.**

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Chapter Fourteen: **Naria's Pov**

"Let me go in." I said as I reached the Kazekage's office and trust me; the shinobi standing there looked at me like I was insane. Truth be told, I easily could be.

"We tried, there's a Genjutsu placed on the room that effects everyone who enters." One of the men said and for some reason that sounded familiar, though I don't know why.

"Don't bother trying to protest; she wouldn't even listen to me if I reminded her of what Lady Tsunade said, because she doesn't like being bossed around." Well for once Ashita was actually right about something I was thinking.

"One, it's fair to say that a medical-ninja's job could also involve stopping someone from getting hurt." I said to Ashita and he rolled his eyes; I then looked at the worried shinobi standing at the door. "And two, it's my life and unless you have someone else around here who is impervious to quite a few Genjutsu's, you don't really have any other choices; unless of course you intend to reason with the girl through the damn door." I said skeptically, but I knew that I wasn't going to get an answer anytime soon because they didn't know what to say, so I just pushed passed them and pushed open the door.

Whatever Genjutsu the girl was using, it had absolutely no effect on me at all, which would be because I had to go through some things to stop my mind from being invaded by Genjutsu by building a wall around it, though I could still tell that it was trying to get through.

Okay, back to the girl, she was not what you'd think of when you think 'assassin' at all – then again, ninjas are basically trained killers and younger than her at times. She was about fourteen with long rose red hair and amber eyes, however the fact that she looked like she was about to cut off Gaara's head with a katana got my attention. The way Gaara was acting, it was like he was blind, same with Temari and Kankurō who were stuck to the wall thanks to kunai that they couldn't see to remove. I didn't know why Gaara wasn't reacting at all, but I'd find out sooner or later – it could be because he couldn't move too.

"I wouldn't do that if I were you." I said, even though I may have if circumstances were different, and she spun to face me, quickly looking at me with shocked eyes. She was shaking slightly and for some reason, I had a feeling she didn't want to do this – you don't shake when you're fine with killing. I also saw that her eyes looked familiar. "Trust me; you don't want to do it because you won't walk out of here alive and you can't hide in here forever. You kill the Kazekage and all those people out there will kill you without a second thought."

"I don't care, I can't. It's not fair that he gets to be normal now, I was told what happened. You have no idea what I have gone through; no idea what living with this pain inside feels like." She said and I sighed, mainly because now I knew why the look in her eyes seemed familiar. She was like me, maybe not in the whole 'beast living within' way, but in the painful past and life way.

"You feel like your suffocating, like you can't breathe because the pain is constantly bearing down on you and will not end. You look at people who have it better than you and you envy them, and maybe hate them, all the while struggling with the raging emotions within, wondering whether or not you should just end your life to make the pain finally stop or if you should become the worst type of person and shut off your emotions completely – except for the fact that you can't because you are who you are." I said calmly and her eyes widened more, tears forming. I guess I was right on some level, maybe entirely.

"How do you know that?" She demanded, though her tone wasn't as harsh now, and I let out a small huff.

"You really think you're the only one who's gone through hell in this world. I wasn't describing what you feel; I was saying some of what I do and what I have felt before." I said and then I slowly took a step forward, causing her to move the sword closer to Gaara's neck, though Gaara didn't flinch. "I'm not going to say that I know what you're going through, but I do know that you're in pain and a lot of it at that. I also know that you really don't want to do this; that you don't want to kill Gaara."

She looked a little pissed off with me now. Couldn't blame her either, I would be too if someone was saying this to me, but then again, I wasn't trying to kill the Kazekage, she was. "Who says I don't want to kill the Kazekage. He gets to be normal now when I'll never have a life."

"Oh, grow up. You think I don't get it, the wanting to give up and just become what people tried to make me. I have been treated like a monster most of my life by quite a few people and more than once have I wanted to become that because it would be so much easier, but I didn't because doing what those people wanted would make me like them and they were the real monsters. Not to mention, it's just not me." I said and I saw doubt in her eyes, meaning I was getting through to her without using my fists for once.

Talking never worked for me before, but I was actually glad I decided to do it this way. She was just a girl who was hurting, and I could relate to that.

"I get that you're going through something, but you're currently being a complete idiot. Gaara isn't a Jinchūriki anymore, he died because of that and was resurrected, but that doesn't just change his past or suddenly alter what people thought about him. It just doesn't work that way." I snapped. "Also, someone who is shaking like you are when they are preparing to kill someone is obviously not ready to kill that person and doesn't want to do it."

"Why should I believe that you understand? I'm dead no matter what I do." She said and I quickly moved forward in a blur so I was standing in front of Gaara, grabbing the sword in my hand. I kept my eyes on hers with an emotionless expression and her eyes widened as my blood began to run down the blade as it slashed open the palm of my hand.

"Because I'm not that bothered by this because I have lived through and felt worse. Don't become something you're clearly not; don't do what someone else is forcing you to do." I said and by this time she was shaking, tears streaming down her face.

A second later she was on her knees on the ground, crying as I threw away the sword so no one could reach it. Temari and Kankurō snapped awake as the Genjutsu faded for some reason and went to Gaara's side behind me once they escaped the kunai, while the people outside came in. I just stood there, looking at the girl as my right hand continued to bleed, though I saw that it was already healing. One plus point to what was inside me: it healed my wounds on its own, especially my smaller.

"I didn't want to do this, but he promised he'd set me free. I couldn't take the torture anymore, the pain of what he showed me with his Genjutsu and the physical pain." She said and my eyes widened, because I had heard that before. No, that wasn't possible! IT COULDN'T BE POSSIBLE!

"Haji." I said in fear and she looked up at me, shock covering her entire face. Oh, hell no, it couldn't be him. He was dead; I should know that because I was the one who accidentally killed him.

"How do you know his name?" She asked from her kneeling position and suddenly something shot up out of the floor and surrounded her, dragging her down with a scream. A second later I was trapped in the same jutsu, a jutsu I had been caught in before.

"Naria!" Ashita shouted as it wrapped around me, but a moment later I blacked out completely.

 **\- Line breaker -**

As I slowly began to wake up from my forced unconsciousness my head felt as though it was filled with a heavy, disorienting fog and I was having a very hard time getting my eyes to open because they felt impossibly heavy – it was like I was drugged.

That is until the shaking started, when that started my head began to clear as the fog was shaken away and I opened my eyes to see the girl I'd talked down before kneeling over me with a worried expression. So, she was the one who was violently shaking me to wake me up. I looked at her, but then noticed we were surrounded by two men and two women in some sort of rock room on the sand and managed to get to my feet, noticing the cut on the palm of my right hand had completely healed already, there was only a scar that would also probably disappear.

The man in the black mask spoke. "Well now, I see you're finally awake Naria."

I glared at him, seeing the red eyes through the mask. "Take of that stupid mask Haji and then you can continue with this feeble banter."

"What makes you think I'm Haji?" He asked and I scoffed. Was he really trying to make me think it wasn't him; did he really think that was going to work?

"Despite the fact that I was pretty sure I killed you and your right-hand man, who is standing to your right, so that's a big giveaway, all those years ago, I know that arrogant voice of yours. You constantly tormented me using it in the three months that you tortured me, meaning it's a voice I cannot easily forget." I snapped as I instinctively kept the girl behind me; I had my hand out making sure she didn't move.

Now I understood everything clearly and I knew why she had gone after Gaara. It wasn't by choice; it was just what Haji did. He took abandoned, orphaned or mistreated children, tortured them both mentally and physically until they broke – though more mentally – and then sent them off to kill powerful figures if they were strong enough to do it and if they weren't he'd train them until they were once they were broken – he even told us what to do, we were his pawns. He didn't like the Kage's, any of them, and they were the ones he sent the kids after.

He'd planned to send me after them; my assassination target was to be the third Hokage because he thought I wouldn't be suspected since I was so young and I could be trained to be strong, but I didn't break and refused to do it no matter what he did to me. However, he took it too far one day and I released the power within me, killing the twenty people in the room – then again, I guess it was only eighteen. Kakashi had found me right after I'd escaped, bloody and broken. That was what I never told anyone; this was the secret I had been keeping and was one of the reasons why I was now impervious to some Genjutsu. I hadn't counted the bodies that day since I was in shock and could barely see two feet in front of me, even as I got out of the place I was held in, I couldn't see where I was going.

Haji took off his mask, which showed me that the right side of his face was scarred and he was blind in his right eye now. "Displeasing to the eye, isn't it? It was what you did to me that day, and if it wasn't for Giri here protecting me I would be dead now too and would not have been able to continue my work."

"Your work! You torture children to get them to do what you're too gutless to do, once you train them to fight. You need pawns that have talent to kill who you want dead, which I'm guessing is still the Kage's since you sent her to kill Gaara." All he did was laugh. Well he wasn't going to think this whole situation funny when I killed him.

"Yes well, unfortunately my mission isn't completed yet because none of my... _students_ " I was seriously going to kill this guy. "Have yet to succeed in their task. Even Rozuko here failed, though that was because of your intervention. We had the perfect opportunity too because of what recently happen to the Kazekage." Huh, her name was Rozuko; I believe it means 'child of a rose' and that suited because her hair was the colour of a red rose.

"Good, I'm glad I screwed up your sick plan; I'm actually extremely proud of that fact. You're trying to turn someone who doesn't want to kill into you, just like you did me." I snapped and he smirked.

"Yes, but you see, now I have someone else who can kill the Kazekage – you. You have a unique talent and that was at nine, who knows what you are now like at the age of fifteen, with some ninja training from the looks of it. You killed eighteen people by accident last time I saw you." He said and my eyes widened, before they became slits and I gave him a deadly look. "Scary."

"There is no way in hell that I'll do anything for you; the only thing I intend to do is kill you like I should have years ago. I was already counting you as one of the people I'd killed so my conscience won't be bothered by it; if I'd known I was wrong once I was trained I would have come after you and killed you." I said with what could be called a snarl and he raised his hands, causing me to smile slightly and look at Rozuko out of the corner of my eye; she knew what he was about to try too and it wasn't going to work on me, but it could on her. I just stepped back a few steps so my back was to the wall, bringing Rozuko with me. "Get ready to grab onto my back and then hold on." I whispered; it was a good thing she was short in height and I was strong.

"That won't work." Haji confidently and I felt like telling him that it most certainly would, but he figured it out soon enough when his Genjutsu didn't work.

"So sorry Haji, but that Genjutsu shit of yours doesn't work on me anymore. I'm my own person now; no one is going to mess with my mind so they can try to make me their puppet." I said before I quickly spun around and smashed the wall of the rock room to smithereens before I pulled Rozuko onto my back, stopping her from running toward Haji like I saw she wanted to. "Hold on."

I infused my feet with a chakra and took off with her on my back, it wasn't easy, but I managed to get where a group of ninja were heading towards us quite quickly. The Kazekage, Temari, Kankurō and Ashita were with them.

"Naria, are you okay?" Ashita asked me as I reached them and let Rozuko off my back. I staggered a little, but it wasn't too obvious and he didn't seem to notice.

"Fine; but I'll be better when I kill Haji and his men in about two seconds. Now, watch Rozuko until he's dead, she can be dragged into his Genjutsu and so can all of you, so I'm personally going to kill his ass." I told him quickly because the fight would begin soon and I wanted to be prepared, especially since I was exhausted.

"What, no, I want to fight too." Rozuko said and I looked at her seriously. She had a strong determination, I would give her that, but even I could see that she was scared out of her mind and wasn't ready for what her words might mean.

"No, because this is going to end with their deaths. Now stay here with Ashita because I am going to finish this myself, I have to make sure that this ends." I said and then I looked at Ashita seriously, which got his utmost attention. "She does not get hurt, and I'll explain what happened later." I said and I knew he wanted to protest, but it wasn't going to work.

I turned around and saw Haji walking slowly towards me. "Naria, don't fight me on this. That girl belongs to me and you will again too, so just give up." Huh, not gonna' happen.

"Giving up is not something I'm able to do anymore; also, I can't exactly belong to someone who's dead and you're about to die." He laughed again.

"How much you've grown in the last six years; I don't see any sign of that scared child within you anymore, you've become a fierce weapon from the looks of it. That doesn't mean you can beat the four of us though, you're just one girl and a tired one from the looks of it." He said and this time it was my turn to smile, but it wasn't a good kind of smile. I had to wonder what others were thinking as they watched this exchange – I was thinking that he shouldn't have called me a weapon.

"Oh, I beg to differ, but I guess we're about to find out." I said because I was now angry despite my usual good grip on it and then I dashed forward, jumping high up into the air to avoid being hit by Giri's rock boulder jutsu. Damn, I'd nearly forgotten he was an earth user because what Haji did was much worse. I leapt over the boulder and as I hit the ground I drove my chakra infused fist into it, disturbing the sand and the earth.

I dashed forward and leapt up again, landing in front of Giri and kicking him straight in the face, causing blood to spurt from his nose. I then got attacked by two twin girls who seemed to be fire jutsu users, causing me to move out of the way of them both so I wasn't hit and turned into a crispy human. This was going to be hard. I didn't enjoy killing, I just had the capability to do it and could do it well. I was going to do what I thought needed to be done, even if this group of people's deaths were unneeded. I was just glad that there weren't many of them.

 **Ashita's Pov**

As I watched Naria fighting off the two girls and one guy, I admit that this new side of her wasn't something I enjoyed witnessing. Still, I kept back the girl like she had told me to because when Naria asked me something in the way that she had, it meant something. Naria was definitely holding back a bit in our training from what I was seeing now and now I knew why; she only fought her absolute best when she intended to kill and that was exactly what she was doing right now – I could keep up with her in our training normally for quite a while, but I was sure that I had a lot less of a chance taking her on right now because she was unpredictable. I was glad I had the girl facing the other way, because this wasn't something she should see because it wasn't pleasant. There were only four people out there to begin with, and there still was but not all of them were alive anymore. I could see that the man who had been egging Naria on before was hiding behind his people; he was waiting for Naria to kill everyone else so he could attack her when she was tired, which is when I would interfere despite what she said if I thought she couldn't handle it and I would be surprised if she could because she hadn't slept in ages and had exhausted herself these past few days.

"Lord Kazekage, should we help her?" Someone asked and I instantly knew that was a bad idea, so I answered.

"I wouldn't get involved if I were you, even though you were attacked." I said and it was Gaara who looked at me sceptically. He'd be out there fighting himself if he still wasn't recovering, I was sure of that. "Look, I know I can't stop you if you want to because this is your village and, but I know Naria; I don't know her well, but I know her well enough to know that this is something she needs to do alone. She's not in a good state of mind right now; she's showing me what she looks like angry and she said that that wasn't something I ever wanted to see." I explained. This was definitely her pissed off; I saw it in her eyes when she had looked at me. She was enraged and I honestly didn't want to know why.

"I can't blame her; it must be hard knowing that he continued to do to others what he did to her when she thought he was dead." The girl, Rozuko, said and I looked at her. She had turned to look at what was happening and had a sad look on her face. She wasn't shocked by the sight, she didn't even flinch. What the hell was going on?! "She was the cautionary tale Haji used to break us quicker; he threatened to do to us what he did to her. Her will, it was stronger than anyone else he tortured back before he found her, so he did things to her no one should have been able to survive. It's horrible, what he normally does, I can vouch for that personally, so I can't understand how she is still sane because I can only imagine what she went through in my worst nightmares."

"What are you talking about?" I asked and she looked up at me. I had no idea what was going on. When was Naria tortured?

"Haji, the man with the scarred face who was doing the talking before, his specialty is hunting down abandoned children and turning them into pawns by breaking their wills; he uses mainly Genjutsu, but some physical methods too to do it and once their wills break he trains them – us – to kill so we can succeed in killing the Kage's like he wants'. She was one of the youngest he has ever found, but also one of the strongest and most powerful, so he had high hopes for her. However, it had the opposite outcome that he wanted; she killed his men instead and nearly killed him. It's why he's blind in one eye, she did that, but I don't know how she did." She explained in great detail and my eyes widened as I looked back at Naria. Oh shit.

Kakashi had told me that when he'd found Naria in the forest she was near death and covered in blood, but her body slowly healed as he took care of her. He didn't understand how she had ended up that way because all the blood couldn't have been hers, but now I sure as hell did and I sort of wished that I didn't. She must have escaped this guy right before Kakashi found her, and I had a strange feeling I knew how she had. It would explain why she was so afraid of accessing more of that being's chakra than she already did, and it also explains why she was terrified of letting her anger and fear overtake her. It also explained why she was slightly wild when Kakashi found her. He told me that when she'd woken up she freaked out and it took him hours to calm her down enough to listen to him, and even after that she wouldn't speak to him and seemed like frightened little mouse. Also, that means that she was nine: she was nine years old and she was tortured. No wonder she didn't trust people and only saw the dark side of things.

 **Naria's Pov**

I ran over to Giri, missing his earth jutsu that nearly dragged me into an early grave, and preformed hand sighs. "Daggers of light." I said and threw them at him, sending him flying back and into the ground in a fatal way that pleased me. He had joined in on the torture and I honestly had no bad feelings about killing him. Now, it was just me and Haji. One big problem though: I was thoroughly exhausted, and despite avoiding using much of my chakra in this fight, I still wasn't sure I could do this now. I wasn't going to stop though, I had chakra to fight with and I would pull through. He did not get to live past today.

"I guess your confidence wasn't misplaced, you even killed Giri and he was the one who saved me from your last attack." Haji said from a few feet in front of me and I let out a small scoff. To be honest, he was the only person I could ask about what I did that day, but I was too scared to know, so I'd settle with killing him so no other kid had to go through what we did.

"I call it protection; I like that you don't have your protector this time though because it means I can kill you." I said as I stood straight, ready to fight him and he let out a maniacal laugh.

"Oh, this will be fun." He said and he ran forward, attacking me with two long swords. I tried to block every strike he sent at me with my kunai and I successfully managed to do that for a certain amount of time, but my body wasn't moving as fast as it usually does and my movements were delayed. It was a dance of blades, one I wasn't sure I could win because of how exhausted I was.

He did finally get a hit in though, mainly because he's a dirty damn cheat and pulled a cheat move to take out one of my legs by slashing my thigh with one of his swords, which is when he then slashed me across my abdomen – it thankfully wasn't bad because I moved back just in time for it to mostly miss, same with my leg. He then preformed hand signs and metal wires infused with chakra came out from the thing on his back, connected to his hands – his style had to do with metal. They wrapped around my legs and trapped my arms to my body; he then flung his hand up with me going with the wires. Not seconds later my body was smashed into the sand and I unwillingly screamed in pain as I laid on the ground, gasping for breath. I slowly started trying to heal my injuries because they wouldn't heal fast enough on their own. I started with the slash on my side, which is when Haji sent more metal my way, but Rozuko blocked it with the smaller sword she had still been wearing.

I was shocked to see her, but she was standing there in a steady stance. "Leave her alone Haji." She said, before wires suddenly wrapped around her body before she could stop them and pulled her towards Haji as she screamed.

I knew if I didn't get up she was in serious trouble if everyone listened to me, so I did something I normally didn't do. I called on the being's chakra and my whole body was enveloped with golden light. I did my best not to let it take control despite my anger and somehow managed. I slowly pushed myself up with a lot of effort and climbed out of the small crater with a lot of struggle, to face Haji who was holding Rozuko by the neck as she struggled to get away from him with fear in her eyes. I stood up shakily with a kunai in my right hand as I let the being's chakra die down, knowing I would have no chance of hand to hand combat now.

"So, you've learnt to control some of the being's charka, nice to know. Still, I think we both know that you don't have the chakra or stamina to fight as good as you were before now, meaning you can't save this girl. So, what are you going to do?" He asked mockingly and I looked at Rozuko, closing my eyes for ten seconds before I opened them again and gave her a look. She took the hint and shut her eyes tight, which is when I let my kunai fly straight with a lot of speed and wind pushing it forward – much to Haji's surprise – and it hit him directly in the throat and missed Rozuko completely as she made sure he couldn't move from where he was standing and dodge it.

"That's what I'm going to do." I said, pretty much to myself, and I watched as he fell back as he choked to death and hit the ground as Rozuko ripped away from him harshly, before running over to me without looking back as I swayed slightly.

"Are you alright?" She asked and I nodded, before noting that she was injured too. My injuries were slightly healed now, they weren't completely healed, but I could accept them.

"I'm fine, but we should get you to the hospital and heal your injuries." I said and she seemed hesitant – I figured out why pretty quickly and sighed. "Don't worry, after what I did I don't think they'd even try anything with me, despite being tired and looking like I'm about to collapse from exhaustion. Plus, I know what happened and I'll tell them that later. Just come on."

I slowly and easily led her over to where all the people were standing with a limp, avoiding the dead bodies that were around us and just walking straight. No one tried to stop me and no one questioned what I was doing, not even Ashita. I was able to lead her back into the village without any protest at all, though I don't know why that was. By every right, they should have protested.

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 **Hey everyone, just wanted to add a side note. I said I was keeping to the Naruto story, and I mostly will be, but I will change some things like, after the war time, so I can have Naria end up with the character I've been planning to pair her with. Now, he's not married as far as I know or with anyone, but I will be saying that I'll be ignoring some things after the war point since I had no idea about them and I hope you guys won't mind - it's mainly surrounding the guy she ends up with, who will become obvious soon enough. I'm also not including things from Boruto, because I doubt I'll be watching that anytime soon.**


	16. Chapter 15

Chapter Fifteen: **Naria's Pov**

After being looked after – or more like fussed over – by the medical-ninja of the sand village, because they saw it as though they owed me for taking on most of the responsibility of taking care of the poisoned ninja of their village, even when I hadn't needed to, Rozuko and I were left alone to talk because I had asked them to leave us – they seemed quite alright with listening to me (I found in kinda ironic actually.) We were sitting in a room that was separate from the room where the recovering patients were, because that room was full.

I was healed enough for now – I had a bandage wrapped around my thigh and abdomen because they hadn't fully healed yet, despite the other smaller injuries being completely healed now thanks to the medical ninja of this village, though I'd be able to remove the bandage tomorrow or the next day if I rested tonight. I had been given something to eat and an herbal tea to drink that helped me feel a little better than I had before. Rozuko had a bandage wrapped around her right arm and scratches in many other places like I did. Still, we were a lot better than we had been outside and I was able to stay awake despite being tired. I was resting against a desk because I barely felt the pain in my thigh when I was like that and Rozuko was sitting on a bed crossed legged, playing with the hem of her shirt.

"Why didn't you let me fight him; why didn't you let me kill him myself?" She asked me and I let out a small sigh. I had figured that she would ask me this sooner or later.

"First, let me ask you this and I want you to be honest. Could you kill yourself because of the pain, if it became too much for you to bear, or would you ask someone else to do it if you wanted it to end?" I asked her and I saw the answer in her eyes the moment I finished, causing me to continue even though she hadn't spoken. "That's why, that look in your eyes. If you can't even think about killing yourself if you had to or if you wanted to die, then you are not ready to kill someone else and live with that, you're not ready to have blood on your hands. You're not a killer or a ninja Rozuko, trust me on that, and you don't need to be one. Killing, it can change you, no matter what the reason you do it. Ninja's accept that as a part of them, but not everyone was meant to be a ninja and there is a difference between a ninja and a cold-blooded killer."

"Do you wish you could take back what you did? I mean, what you did to Haji's men back when he tortured you?" She asked me and even though I normally wouldn't be this open about things like that, I nodded. I needed to help her like no one helped me when I was going through hell.

"More than anything in this world; if I could take that day back I would, but not because I think those people deserved to live. I was nine, I wasn't ready to have that sort of blood on my hands or learn what power I had inside me, but I did and it scared the hell out of me. I started thinking I was a monster, especially since I cannot remember anything after I blacked out." I said and I saw her look down at her hands, which is when I pushed away from the desk and walked over to the bed, sitting down on the edge beside her slowly so I didn't startle her. "You can tell me the truth or ask me anything you want to know; I'm in no place to judge you about anything, and I think telling you things might help you. After all, we did go through the same thing."

"Are you okay with who you are?" She asked me after a moments silence and I shook my head.

"Not completely if I'm being honest with myself: I enjoy being a ninja and I wouldn't change that no matter what because it's what I was meant to be, but I don't like the way I've personally become. I don't want to be the way I am, but if I didn't become this way I'd be dead now. Haji was someone who tortured me, but I've gone through a lot and have been hunted since I was a small child; not even my home was entirely safe for me once I changed, which is why I ended up alone in the forest. I don't like how I act and I wish I could take back some things I've done in the past, but that's not possible, even if I wish it. I got dealt the short stick in life and I've come to accept that for what it is as I try to become who I want to be now, but you have it different Rozuko. You're not like me; I can see it in your eyes when I look at you." I said and I saw tears appearing in her eyes.

"My parents, they died in a horrible fire that destroyed many houses in my home village. They had been trying to get people out, to help them, when they suddenly got trapped in a house. I heard them scream as they were burnt; I couldn't help them at all. After that, I was so upset and so angry because no one cared that they had died saving their lives and no one cared about me. I ran off, not seeing a place for myself there and hating the way everyone looked at me– that's when Haji caught me. When he used the Genjutsu on me, he made me think my parents hated me, that's why they didn't come to find me when the fire started." She explained sadly and though I'd never done it before and didn't know why I had the instinct to do it now, I moved my hand over and gently brushed her forelocks to the side with a soft touch that was not normal for me, making her look at me.

"Do you think your parents didn't love you?" I asked with gentleness I didn't know I possessed and she shook her head, telling me she didn't. "Then forget what he said and made you see alright, because he twists things like that to try and break you. I know it's hard to forget what he showed you because it felt real, but don't let it taint what you know to be true. I see most of the world in darkness because that's all I've come to know, but you have a chance to find a different life now that you're free of him. I somehow managed to find one, it took me a long time but I did. I'm not saying that it's going to be easy, because moving on from your past is hard, but you still need to try to. There's no point in life if you don't. I'm trying." I explained, because I saw that she needed something good before she got the hopeless look in her eyes that I had once.

I gave up a long time ago, I stopped letting my heart lead me and I hated it. You should be able to listen to your heart instead of your mind sometimes, but I didn't anymore, until recently. That didn't mean I couldn't live like that and let my mask down one day.

"But where can I find one after what I did; I tried to kill the Kazekage." She said and I sighed.

"Yes, you certainly did try to kill him, and if you want me to make you feel bad about it then you're asking the wrong person – go ask his siblings or maybe one of the sand shinobi or kunoichi if you want someone to try and make you feel bad." I said and her expression became shocked, which made me let out another sigh. "You didn't even hurt the Kazekage; he is physically fine so cut it out with the guilt. I know all too well what Haji did to people; he took the one thing you love most and turned it against you to make you suffer, make you forget that love. He showed you horrendous visions of things that didn't happen because he wanted you to give up and forcing someone to give up is a lot easier when they have nothing good to hold on to. He then tortured you every now and then by causing you physical pain, but the emotional pain and mental abuse was worse because broken bones and cut skin eventually heals, a broken heart never truly does, mainly because the scars are linked to memories. He used your parents against you; he used my brother against me. The fact that you didn't break completely proves that you have a strong heart and mind." I said and she looked at me in curiosity. I had a feeling I knew what she was about to ask me.

"Why didn't he show you your parents, don't you know them?" She asked and I was glad I had made my expression soft a while ago, though now there was surely sadness to it. I wasn't going to get angry at her for asking.

"No, I knew them. It's because unlike you, I actually have something that is notably different about me, and unlike you my parents didn't love me – or at least, my mother made it clear she hated me, while my father was too busy for me to know what he really thought. My mother was far too afraid of me to even try to love me and also very narrow-minded from what I remember. He couldn't turn them against me because they were already something I feared because they tried to kill me, but he also couldn't turn them against me because I knew they were dead." I said and her eyes widened considerably, which is when I took her hand in mine. "If you want help, ask for it. Trust me, it's better to ask then to not." I knew I didn't, but that didn't mean she couldn't. I was quickly learning from my mistakes. If I had asked for help sooner or gone searching for it, maybe I would've turned out different.

"But who can I ask for help from here, I mean despite the reason, I did try to kill the Kazekage, and despite that fact, I did plan to do it because it was what Haji wanted, so no one will forgive me. I might not have hurt him, but that doesn't change what I did." She said and I shrugged.

"Well, you could ask the Kazekage; you can ask him right now actually." I said and now she was surprised and shocked at the same time, as well as confused. "He's standing right outside; he's been there since about halfway through this conversation of ours, because I assume he wants to talk with one of us, maybe both of us." I said it loud, hoping he heard and came in here.

He did and walked in with Ashita beside him, which made me hope he didn't hear everything I had said. Not Gaara; I was more concerned about Ashita hearing because I had to put up with him nearly every day now. I was kinda wondering where Gaara's siblings were since they had been by his side since I got here.

Rozuko got off the bed and went to bow, but Gaara held up his hand. "You don't need to apologize for what happened, I heard everything and I understand why you did it, though we will need to talk. Also, Naria's right, you didn't hurt me thanks to her." Well, Rozuko seemed to be pleased to hear that and I couldn't blame her.

"How can he understand but I can't?" Ashita asked and now I sighed as I got up. Really, it wasn't that hard to understand as long as you have a functioning brain and an I.Q.

"Haji tortured us till our will broke. He promised us that he'd release us if we did what he asked us to do and after being tortured for as long as most of us were, that sounds pretty inviting. You forget about right and wrong and just want to be free. Even I got close to giving up; it just ended differently with me than it does most." I explained, despite not wanting to have to explain it to this him after the tiring and seemingly unending day that I had had. Also, there were things he didn't need to know and yet I'd told him some of those things.

"What do you want to do know, because I will try to find a place for you here in the village?" Gaara asked her and I was actually surprised how willing he was to help her, but then again, he had the same look we did so I guess you can say that he understood what it was like to be us. We weren't the same because everyone went through different things, but pain didn't really have different definitions, just different levels. The pain of loneliness, of suffering, of loss and anger and hatred were all the same. The only time pain was different was if it was emotional or physical.

"I don't want to be a killer like he wanted me to be, I want to help people who are hurt or injured like no one would me. I want to learn how to be a healer, like Naria is." She said and I looked at her, a small smile appearing on my lips.

She was already trying to prove that she wasn't what someone had tried to make her and I admired that. It was hard to look past everything from your past and pave the way for your future, but she already knew what she wanted to do, despite the fact that she had tried to kill the Kazekage before.

It was then that I had a sudden flash before my eyes and was hit with a wave of dizziness that caused my vision to blur and caused me to stumble forward slightly, only to be caught by Ashita who wrapped his arm around my waist to stop me from falling. It hurt like hell since I was still injured, but I wasn't going to tell him that because that would just make him feel bad.

"Naria, are you alright?" He asked and I could hear that his voice was full of concern.

"I'm just a little dizzy." I admitted as I tried but failed to stand up properly.

"You should get some rest; you have done enough for the village." Gaara said and I went to protest, but didn't get to.

"No protesting Naria, you're going to get some rest." Ashita said as he pulled one of my arms over his should and wrapped the other around my waist, and then led me from the room – well actually he half carried me because I was having trouble moving my legs at the moment.

In all fairness, this wasn't what I wanted, but I couldn't bring myself to protest. Right now, I was feeling the effect of not sleeping and working my body too hard. I may have trained myself to withstand pain and last longer than most, but even I wasn't invincible and I had fought off four people after working three days straight on a lot of poisoned people. After all of that anyone was bound to be exhausted mentally and physically.


	17. Chapter 16

**Hope you guys enjoy.**

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Chapter Sixteen: **Naria's Pov**

I sat on top of the building that I was staying in, right on the edge of it with my knees held against my chest and my arms wrapped around them, though not too tightly because I didn't want to reopen the still healing wound on my stomach, though this position did make it hurt – I was wearing nothing more than black knee length leggings and a white camisole with my loose and slightly wet hair blowing in the low breeze that was calm for the land of wind. I was thinking about the fact that, since I had come here to the village, I had learnt things about my family that I never thought I'd get to learn and it reminded me that I missed not having one – I wanted nothing more than to have a family – a happy family – and that was the biggest secret I kept to myself. Who could blame me for wanting a happy family; it was what most people wanted.

I was rather enjoying the calm night here in the dessert, the soft but still slightly warm breeze not strong enough to largely disrupt the sand that was everywhere. I instinctively noted just how different the sand village was to the leaf – I'm not saying it's a bad difference – and the forest. I had to admit that I kinda liked the difference and actually rather liked the village from what I had seen of it, though I secretly wished I could see more. I could like it partly because there was a part of me that was tired of the forest, not that I hated the forest now or anything like that, but it was also nice here – the heat didn't even bother me, not that it was hot right now. I had never dealt with a sand storm or harsh winds here, but right now I couldn't imagine being anywhere else because I just felt calm even though my mind was producing sad thoughts that I didn't want.

It was then that I heard someone join me on the roof and I moved quickly to wipe the tears away before whomever it was saw, trying to be subtle about it but probably not succeeding in doing so. I then looked to my right and saw Gaara standing there in what I assumed were the clothes he wore under his usual attire (I had to wonder how he wore so much when he lived here, but then again, he was probably used to it since he was born and raised here) – they were black. He looked tired right now; I wasn't sure if he always looked like that or not though.

"Should you be up here without a guard; you have been attacked twice recently, one of those attacks being as recent as earlier today?" I asked calmly as he walked over and sat across from me without a word. I guess I wasn't one to talk; I should technically be resting right now, but I couldn't sleep anymore despite how tired I was, so I came up here – at least I felt rested because I laid down and fallen to sleep for a while earlier.

"The Akatsuki have no need to come after me again, they have what they wanted from me, and you took care of the second threat quite thoroughly; I have nothing to worry about." He said and I looked at him sceptically.

Why didn't I think others thought that too? "Does anyone else see it that way? The Akatsuki may not want you now, but it's obvious they're a threat." I asked. I could also bring up the fact that he died not too long ago, but I decided against that.

"No, but I wanted to speak to you alone and I am the Kazekage so they listened – the only trouble I had was convincing my sister, but she listened in the end." He explained and I let out a small 'humph' as I looked back out across the village again. He didn't even reply to my other comment, which was probably because he already knew that and I was pointing out the obvious. "Thank you for what you did today."

"You don't have to thank me; I was only doing the right thing." I said because it was all I had done.

"You gave her a chance, most wouldn't after what happened." He said and I looked back at him.

"I'm not most people; I know what it's like to be judged by people who don't know a thing about you. People have a habit of judging, even when they don't know the whole story or even know who they're judging. I'm not excusing what she did, but I understand it." I said, because it was the truth. "Everyone I've ever met in the past, before I arrived in Konoha that is, has treated me badly because of something I can't control." Wait, why was it so easy to tell him that?

"Your sensei is worried about you; he told me you've gone through a lot. So did Rozuko." He said and I scoffed.

"No one knows what I've gone through, not even him and thankfully not her. I've never told anyone everything I've gone through and apparently, that's going to end up eating away at me until there's nothing left if I don't let it all out one day soon. Might even kill me." I said, but the truth was I couldn't let it all out. Who would ever understand what I've gone through, the life I have been forced to live? Who would be able to accept my darkest thoughts and not think me a monster? "I also don't want to put my problems onto other people. It isn't fair to burden them with what I went through."

"Then maybe you should tell someone who understands; someone who has lived through pain and won't feel burdened." He said and that's when I looked at him, before looking back out across the village.

For some strange reason the look in his eyes made me want to tell him; it was like I knew that he may understand what I had gone through and what I was still going through beneath the surface. From what I had heard, his life wasn't easy either and people judged him because of it, especially because of what he used to be. When he had first become Kazekage people had been against it, despite the fact that he didn't ask to be a Jinchūriki, it was something someone else decided for him and he was forced to live with. That was all I knew about the matter, but it could not have been easy for him.

"Have you ever heard of the valley of dreams? Some call it the land of dreams, but it's not quite big enough to be called a land, though it's rather big." I asked him as I looked back at him and he nodded.

"It's a large valley that lies within mountain walls between the land of fire and land of wind; it's quite secluded and some don't know how to get there or even that it exists." He said and I nodded, because he actually did know quite a bit. Still, it wasn't really that no one knew how to get in there, because the entrance was quite easy to find; it was more that no one could be bothered looking for it.

"I'm the princess of that place, one of them at least. At least, I was born to be a princess, not that anyone can tell when they look at me." If he was surprised by this, he didn't show it. The not showing much emotion thing was something we both did apparently. "When I was born, something sealed itself away within me or was sealed inside of me by someone – I'm not sure; all I know is that my parents had nothing to do with it and mainly my mother was disgusted that it had happened to me. My hair turned snow white for some strange reason and I got a mark and because of that my parents came to see me as a monster instead of their daughter, though from what I remember that was my mother more than my father – he was so busy with work and when he wasn't he sometimes avoided me from what I can remember."

Gaara was being silent right now and just listening to what I was saying.

"Nearly the entire village followed their lead, though some didn't, and so did my second oldest brother. I couldn't go out on the street without the people avoiding me or a few abusing me and nearly everyone who didn't join in just turned the other way when it happened; that is, except for my eldest brother. From my second birthday till my sixth there were twenty-four attempts on my life, some because people hated me just for what I am and some that were purely because I was the princess. My mother was the worst, she wouldn't look me in the eye no matter what I did and she never said my name, she just called me a monster or yelled at me, she even hit me. My father would often refuse to let me out of the castle for some reason, not that I can entirely remember why. My own grandmother, who Ebizō knows, met me once, then walked away without a word. I wasn't allowed near my little sister and my second brother just called me a freak; all I had was my eldest brother. He was the only one who ever looked out for me; he interfered when the villagers treated me wrong and he also tried to make me happy."

"Then your parents tried to kill you." He said and I nodded, a tear breaking free despite me trying to will it not to because I didn't like people seeing me cry. When people see you cry, at least the people I had met in the past, they see you as weak.

"Yeah, then they tried to kill me. It was early morning after my sixth birthday; my mother paralysed me with a jutsu so my father could do it, though I swear there was something wrong with him. My brother stopped them before they could, but that made my father turn on him. My mother tried to stop my father from doing something permanently stupid and hurting her son for a second, but his temper was so bad that he accidently killed her. He hit her away and she broke her neck when she hit the ground. After that he went into a rage – one that wasn't like him – and nearly succeeded in killing me, but my fourteen-year-old brother killed him first to save my life. My brother was forced to flee after that because we knew our uncle wasn't the man he pretended to be; I haven't seen him since he fled and that was nearly ten years ago now. I've tried looking for him, but found nothing." I explained and it surprised me how focused he was right now; he actually wanted to hear this.

"I was locked away in my room after that by my uncle because I was blamed for their deaths and was ignored by all when I tried to tell the truth; I knew they could hear me, but they just refused to reply and that just made my imprisonment worse. My uncle fed lies about what happened and everyone ate them up eagerly; he was the lord's brother, so of course they believed him. A year later my uncle tried to kill me after he led me out of the valley; he drove his sword through my chest and would've killed me if he hit my heart and I wasn't what I am. Everyone now thinks that I'm dead, which I don't care about, but he knows that I'm not. He's been sending assassins after me since I was seven – I spent one year and nine months running from them through the forest because no one would help me. In the end, I stopped trying to look for help and worked out the hard way how to keep myself alive out there, which is when Haji caught me."

"Rozuko told us what he did to people, to children like you and her. She said that you were the lucky ones because you got away with your lives." He said and I let out a hard laugh.

That was not even close to the truth. "I wouldn't call myself lucky. Yes, unlike most of the kids who he tortured, I got to keep my life when I didn't do what he wanted, but until now I didn't have much of a life to speak of and I had to live with what he did to me. I escaped Haji by sheer chance and was saved from death due to injury, exhaustion, starvation and dehydration by Kakashi, but I still remained alone in the forest, training to become a ninja so I could keep the life that I still miraculously had, even though I considered ending it myself more than once." I said truthfully, even though it was a very sad truth to admit.

I continued, despite wanting to stop. "My life seemed to just keep getting worse no matter what I did, even after what Haji did to me. My uncle kept sending assassins to kill me and I was sometimes forced to kill them instead of running because I got grew tired of running, the person Kakashi sensei left me with joined Orochimaru when I refused to join him and is now trying to kill me and I... I just continued to be consumed by my pain, which made me become as hard on the outside as I could and try to become hard on the inside to make it all stop." I wished I had become hard on the inside. "Didn't work though, I still care and my heart still works despite how many times it's been crushed. Shutting down isn't as easy for me as I wish, hence all the pain and thoughts of ending it all."

"If that's true, why didn't you end it?" He asked me and I thought about it for a moment, the truth about what he had asked me. I also thought about how easy it was to talk to him about this sort of thing and that even the thought of telling him the truth didn't bother me much – it didn't bother me at all to be honest. I couldn't comprehend why; I mean I had barely spoken to him since I had come here.

"Usually, I say it's because I don't want to let my uncle get what he wants, which is my head on a silver platter from what I gather, but that's not really why I didn't do it and still don't. The real reason I didn't do it and still don't, well there's actually three. I have Mononoke, a wolf who can talk and who's kept me from becoming dark like I want to. I want to find my brother if he is still alive; I want to see him again and see that he found a life for himself after he gave it up once to save me – I want to know that he's happy." I said truthfully for once in my life; I had never told anyone the real reason why I fought as hard as I did and why I tried to keep from shutting down completely. Not even Mononoke knew the reason, though she knew that the reason I'd given her and everyone else wasn't the real one. "The most important reason of all though is that I want to be a force for good; I want to help people like no one helped me when I needed it. If I can help it, I want to save anyone I can from knowing the pain that I have always known."

"Is that why you decided to live in the leaf village?" He asked and I nodded.

"Pretty much. Lady Tsunade offered me a chance that no one ever has, she's the first person in a long time that's given me a chance and a choice. I had a chance to do something with my life, but sometimes I regret the choice I made." I said and I could see confusion on his face. "I'm not good around people because I became good at avoiding them. I don't know what the good emotions feel like and I envy people who do because I wish I did. Every time I see a happy family it's like a slap in the face, reminding me that I didn't get that. I liked the forest because I wasn't faced with that. Part of me still doesn't want to trust anyone; I don't want to make friends or get close to anyone, which is why I act so cold and try to be that way inside. Everyone I've ever loved or trusted in my life has either left me or tried to kill me, so I make it seem like I don't have a heart, because the best way not to get your heart broken is to pretend you don't have one. I'm scared to let people close to me, though I want to try."

"I understand; I used to see the world like you do, but Naruto showed me that things weren't as I believed them to be. Before I met him, I deprived pleasure from killing the assassins who were sent after me by my father and killing others; I became cold, emotionally withdrawn and full of hatred because of my childhood, my father and my uncle's attempt at murdering me and I would kill anyone to prove my own existence. I became remorseless and sociopathic in nature to be truthful, and my desire to kill was only fuelled more by my insomnia because of Shukaku's words that he would eat away at my soul if I slept – I still struggled to sleep now, even though he is gone. Then I met Naruto and he made me see things differently, he made me see that it wasn't hopeless for people like us. Because of him, I changed my view on life." Gaara told me in a voice that held something I'd never heard, not to mention how husky and deep it was, and I lowered my head onto my knees with a wince.

Hearing him say that, it made me see how similar we actually were. Also, it made me glad that my being didn't speak to me, but then again, I didn't know if mine was a demon or not, so I guess I'm lucky in that aspect.

I wished I could believe that I could see the world differently than I do right now, but I wasn't sure. "I don't know if I'll ever be able to see anything differently." I said sadly as more tears fell and I wiped them away, before looking down at my hands. "I've killed so many people to save myself. I look at the assassins my uncle sends to kill me and I just… I shut down when I fight them and kill them easily. I don't care that they're people most of the time. I know that ninja kill to protect their villages, but this is different somehow. I don't know how to be someone who can live alongside people; I only know how to live alone. I'm afraid that, if I ever let this thing out despite knowing it's a being of light and might not be a demon, that I will lose control again and…" I couldn't finish what I was going to say.

"And what?" He asked and I noticed that my hands were shaking slightly as I looked up at him.

"Do what I did to Haji's followers. I can't remember what I did that day no matter how hard I try; I only remember being so afraid that I was going to die and so angry and then nothing but darkness. The next thing I knew, I woke up on the ground instead of chained to the wall, surrounded by dead bodies and all I knew was that I killed them; I had to because my clothes and hands were covered in their blood. I released that power and I used it for what I wanted: I was nine and I wanted nothing more than to see them gone and myself free. I became exactly what my mother thought I'd become and tried to kill me because of, a monster; at least that's what I came to think for a time – I don't think that anymore though because I know I'm not and I know that having something inside you doesn't make you one. Being like that, it would be easier than caring like I do, because caring when nothing goes right hurt's too much, but I'm trying to change and let my real self out." I said and he shook his head, causing me to become confused. His eyes had changed now; there was something different showing from within them.

"It isn't; it's not worth it. The way I used to be, I would have killed my own siblings if they had of gotten in my way. You didn't give up entirely like I did; you still tried, even now you try. I can see it, you don't enjoy killing the way you have, but you have accepted the result of doing so." He said and I shook my head.

"I don't think that was entirely me." I said and then I sighed. "Gaara, it's fair to say that one of the reason's you became the way you did is because of Shukaku, right; because of what he did to you." I said and he nodded. "Well... I think that maybe one of the reasons I didn't give into it is because of what's within me. I do dislike this thing for changing me, but whatever it is kept some sanity in me when I was at my worst, when it probably didn't even want to be sealed inside me – at least that's what I think. If it was a tailed beast like yours, I may have given you a run for your money." I said as a bad joke and he let out a soft, dark chuckle that shocked me. So, he actually could laugh, though darkly.

"I have to say that I'm glad you aren't the host of a tailed beast then." He said.

"Yeah, you and me both. If I had of been, I may have done what Haji wanted and tried to kill the third Hokage before Orochimaru did, though I doubt it – I'm too stubborn to give in to anyone. I guess that's the only thing I can be grateful for, even if the rest of my life is shit." I said, then I let out a half smile. "I can see what you mean about Naruto though; he acts a lot different than you and I do – he's like the sun actually; bright and happy from what I saw when I met him and from what Kakashi's told me."

"He is certainly different; he values things I didn't and managed to find friends despite his pain. He has an unwavering determination, especially to one day become Hokage." Gaara said and I nodded, because Naruto certainly was that. I saw how focused he was on bringing Sasuke back; it didn't even matter that the Akatsuki were after him, he was still willing to go if there was even the slightest chance he could bring his friend home. "He isn't the monster I was." I yawned then, my exhaustion catching up to me. "You should get some sleep; you've been through a lot."

"Yeah, you're one to talk." I said and I saw he found my remark amusing because I was right. "Besides, you're not the only one who has trouble sleeping, though I suspect sooner or later sleeping will become easier for you now that Shukaku is gone. I don't often sleep, nightmares cause problems for me; it's called 'dream anxiety disorder' apparently. It's why I like sitting up high places; I can see the sky and all its beauty and feel calm. It reminds me that the world isn't as small and horrid as it seems to me." I admitted and then I slowly stood up, moving slowly across the roof before I stopped and turned back to look at him, which caused him to look at me in return. "Arigato Gaara."

"For what? You are the one who helped the shinobi of this village and me." He asked and I smiled a soft smile, and what shocked me was that it was actually real. Being able to talk to someone and not have them judge me for admitting my darkest feelings, it lifted a weight off my chest. I was grateful to Gaara, for listening and being the first person to understand. "I thank you for that too." Plus, he was the first person to thank me for something.

"I'm thanking you for listening to me and not judging me like so many others have; also for being so understanding." I said honestly with much gratitude present in my voice, then I remembered what he had said not moments ago and I became serious. "Also; you are not a monster Gaara, and you never have been."

"You didn't know me when Shukaku was a part of me or what I was like when I was younger; you never saw what I was like, so you cannot know that." He said and I shook my head, which is when he became shocked.

"Funny thing about living in a forest, you see a lot. The day you fought Naruto, back when Orochimaru interrupted the Chunin exams and killed the third Hokage, I witnessed the battle between you and him – all of the battle. I had to dodge out of the way to stop myself from being squished by a tree because of you two by the way, which wasn't fun. The point is, I saw exactly what you were like – maybe not completely, but I saw enough." I admitted and even though I had thought his expression was shocked before, it was actually more of a shocked expression now. Actually, it was more disbelieving. See, I had actually realized who Gaara was only when I saw him the day I had arrived here, I hadn't realized beforehand. His expression was a lot calmed now, and less beast like – that day had been the first time I saw beasts/animals so large.

"You saw me like that in the past and yet you're not afraid of me; you don't see me as a monster?" He asked and I nodded.

"That's right. Gaara. I've seen the real monsters in this world and you're not one of them. You had a tailed beast within you and were tormented by it and others as a child, which would make anyone crazy. That doesn't make you a monster, it just makes you different. What you were Gaara and still could be classed as, is a victim, and despite your past you found a way to overcome what you used to be and became Kazekage. I admire you for that and I hope someday that I can follow your footsteps and change for the better too." I said and with an actual smile too, the sort of smile I never thought I would be able to produce again. Still, I saw doubt in his eyes. "I'm being sincere Gaara; I don't say things I don't mean and I'm straightforward about the things that I do. I'm not afraid of you. It's not hard for me to understand the pain you must have gone through, but I guess that's because I've gone through it too." I began to walk off. "Goodnight Gaara."

 **Gaara's Pov**

I continued to stare at the spot Naria had just been standing, too shocked by her words to look anywhere else or leave where I was sitting.

When I had come up here to talk to her, it was because of what that girl had told us and because I saw that she was like me, now I knew that Naria was without a doubt like me. She had been tormented by people around her because of what she was, her parents had tried to murder her because of it and her uncle was still trying to kill her, though she hadn't told me the reason why and I had a feeling that was because even she didn't know his true reason for wanting her dead.

However, her truthfulness had shocked me because it was obvious that she didn't talk about her past like I didn't, and yet we both had and it had been easy for me to do so. I wouldn't admit it out loud, but there was just something about her that... drew me to her and made it easy for me to speak to her. She was different, and not because of what she was.

What shocked me the most though was the fact that she had seen the horror I knew I had been back when I fought Naruto for the first and only time and wasn't afraid of me. She said it without a single sign of a lie in her voice; she had been honest and had meant that she wasn't afraid of me. She was the first person I had met in my life, other than Naruto, that wasn't afraid of who I was and who I had been; she had seen my former self and wasn't bothered by it. She understood me more than most because she knew the pain I felt for she felt it too. Thinking about that is when I realized I was slightly smiling.

 **Naria's Pov**

I carefully snuck back into the room I had to share with Ashita right now and made me way silently across it, seeing that Ashita was still lying in the same position he had been lying in when I had left the room earlier – there was a divider between the two beds to create a sense of privacy. He really did sleep like the dead, which I would class as a bad thing for a ninja in my books. I could attack him right now and kill him before he woke up, not that I would... even though he was a pain in the ass sometimes.

I laid down in the bed I was to sleep in tonight and I stared up at the roof, the soft smile I had up on the roof still resting on my lips. For the first time in a long time, I wasn't thinking about how much I hated my life, I was thinking about what Gaara had told me. He had been worse off than I was now in many ways and thanks to Naruto's help he had changed and become Kazekage, and the sort of person I could relate to. For the first time in a long time, different to how I had felt around Naruto when I had met him, I didn't feel depressed; I didn't feel as though there wasn't a soul in the world who could understand what I was going through because I now knew that Gaara did. I had easily and willingly told him things I had never told anyone, not even Mononoke. Speaking of Mononoke, I had finally done what she said I should do and it did feel good – letting out the truth and saying what I felt out loud. A weight was gone from my chest and before I knew it, I fell to sleep with barely any effort and because of my own choice.

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	18. Chapter 17

Chapter Seventeen: **Ashita's Pov**

When I had gone to bed last night, I had expected to be awoken bright and early by Naria because she didn't understand the concept of 'sleeping in' at all; so, it was shocking when I woke up on my own. What was more surprising was when I got out of bed and looked over the divider to look at Naria's bed, I saw her sleeping peacefully in it. I slowly walked around the divider and walked over to her bed, kneeling beside it to make sure she was still alive, because from what I had been told, Naria didn't sleep as much as other people and when she did she was plagued with nightmares – I mean she had been exhausted yesterday but still, this was strange.

She was still alive and she was breathing softly, her face so calm and peaceful that I was sure I must be dreaming. I had never seen Naria like this before because she was always ready for a fight, but now she didn't even wake up, despite me being so close to her – I admit I even poked her arm before I really had a chance to think and still she didn't even move. I wondered what had happened between when I went to bed and when I woke that allowed her to sleep like this because she was tense last night.

I got dressed for the day and decided to inform the Kazekage that we may have to stay one more night if Naria was not up to travelling; I wasn't letting her travel unless she was well rested after what had happened and I certainly wasn't waking her up – I didn't have a death wish after all and there was a possibility that she would kill me.

I left the room and headed silently to the Kazekage's office, wondering what I had missed that allowed Naria to sleep and that if sleeping would make her a slightly more pleasant person – I wasn't expecting a dramatic change, if she was just not as cold and harsh as she normally acts, that would be good enough for me.

I knocked on the door as I entered the Kazekage's office, seeing him talking to his siblings as he worked on some sort of paperwork. He looked up at me as I walked in.

"Sorry to interrupt your conversation and stop you from working, but I just wanted to inform you that we may have to stay here another day." I said and Gaara nodded.

"That is fine; I already sent a message to Lady Tsunade explaining the situation here. You can stay until Naria has recovered from her injuries." Gaara said and I nodded. Yeah, Naria recovering physically wasn't really what I was worried about. "Is there something wrong with her?"

"Not wrong, just not usual. She's actually asleep and she hasn't slept like this in a long time, so I have to wonder what she did last night to calm down so much." I said as I scratched my head and both Temari and Kankurō looked at Gaara at the same time.

"Gaara, didn't you go talk to her?" Temari asked and he nodded.

I had to smile and let out a small chuckle. "Now I get it; I'll leave you to your work." I said happily and quickly left then, grinning to myself as I escaped before I could be stopped and questioned about what I thought had happened.

So, that's what happened. If I was right and it would be a first with anything to do with Naria, she and Gaara had talked about much more than what had happened here last night at some point – it also meant she got up when she should have been resting, but I'd let that slid since I didn't have much choice. I wasn't stupid; I'd heard things about Gaara and even though I didn't know much about Naria and what she has lived through, it was fair to say that he may be one of the few people who could understand her and not judge her for whatever happened in her past. Not being judged for what she is and what she's done is probably exactly what she needed, so if he did that it would explain why she was sleeping so peacefully.

 **Naria's Pov**

The sun was shining brightly as I very slowly woke up because someone was shaking my shoulder gently and I raised my arm to cover my eyes, the light hurting them for some strange reason. I moved it away when my eyes adjusted more and looked to see Ashita sitting on the edge of the bed. "Ohayou."

"I think that's the first time you have ever said good morning to me since we met: You feeling okay?" He asked with a smile and I nodded, which is when something occurred to me. I hadn't had any nightmares that woke me up in a cold sweat, not one which was quite shocking, and I felt completely rested for once in my life and I hadn't needed to pass out to sleep easily.

I sat up. "How long have I been asleep?"

"Well over twenty-four hours." He said and my eyes widened. Wait, what?! "Yeah, you slept for over a day; guess you really needed the rest, despite what you said. Want to tell me what happened that made you finally sleep without nightmares, without it being because you passed out due to exhaustion?"

To tell him or not to tell him, that was the question. "I finally admitted some things to myself that I didn't want to admit before."

"And admitted them to Gaara too." Ashita said with great confidence and I just bit my lip from saying what came into my mind right then. It wasn't very nice.

"Go away sensei, I have to get dressed." I resorted poorly and he just smiled as he held up his hands in surrender, before taking off at a leisurely pace. I didn't like that he was so observant in matters I didn't want him to be observant in. Plus, I hated that he had gotten it right and the fact that he had this strange glint in his eyes that I didn't like – he was thinking something weird, I was sure.

 **\- Line Breaker -**

It hadn't taken me long to get dressed and once I was, I told Ashita to inform the Kazekage that we were leaving because I felt fine now – it was the first time that I had felt fine in a very long time; it felt good to feel well rested. I had gone to check on the recovering ninja while he did that and was inwardly pleased to see that they were recovering well – some of them were even moving around and making jokes now that they were able to speak. I had packed my bag up and made sure everything was right with all of them, much to all of the ninja's surprise, before I left with "thank you's" following me out of the room from the ninja I had helped cure. My own injuries were healed enough that they weren't bothering me as much.

To my surprise, Gaara was standing there waiting for me as I left the building and told me that he'd be coming to the gate with me so he would show me the way there considering I hadn't really had a chance to spend time in the village – I remembered the way, but I didn't mention that. As we walked together, alone through the village (I wish I could have looked around more) even though there were people surrounding us, we began talking again.

Gaara, despite the fact that I told him that he didn't need to talk about it because I knew it wasn't easy, told me a little bit more about his past. He explained quite a bit of it truthfully and the only time I spoke was when I felt words were needed – I was shocked to learn that he really did understand what I had lived through and I felt sad that he had to live through what he had, because I knew how hard it was. I talked a little bit more about my past too; the main part being about Riku and that was because Gaara was curious to hear about him. Gaara had also asked me how I was feeling and I admitted that for the first time I felt rested, and I admitted that it was because I didn't feel like I was in danger here – I left out that reason I didn't feel in danger, which was because for the first time I felt accepted and as though someone didn't want me dead. Plus, it'd be awkward if I told him that it was what he said that made me feel better, feel safe.

I couldn't tell how long it took us to come to stand outside the village walls, mainly because I had been too distracted and engrossed in our conversation to take notice. However, I was now standing outside the walls with Rozuko standing in front of me, seeming quite calm and level headed now that she didn't have to worry about Haji or being prosecuted for what she tried to do to Gaara because Gaara had calmed the situation down and explained it. We were alone for the time being as Gaara was with his siblings and Ashita.

"So, you're really leaving?" Rozuko asked and I nodded.

"Ashita and I have to inform Tsunade about our mission, that's one of the things that you have to do when you're working with a village – you have to report to authority." I said and she nodded, but she seemed sad. "You'll do great here Rozuko, just remember that being a medical-ninja has a lot of responsibility attached to it. So, train hard, no matter how stressful and headache inducing the reading might be, and become someone who saves lives, not takes them."

"I will; I want to be as good as you one day and everyone has been saying you're good. So, I'm going to train and work hard; I'm going to make the most of the chance I've been given." She said comfortably and I actually smiled, placing a hand on her shoulder.

"Glad to hear it." I said and she smiled at me, she then hugged me which surprised me and startled me a little because I wasn't expecting that and wasn't used to it.

"Arigato gozaimasu Naria, for everything you've done for me." She said as she continued to hug me.

She pulled away from me a moment later, just as Gaara walked over and I turned to face him, though I still watched from the corner of my eyes as Rozuko retreated quickly, looking between the two of us with a smile for some strange reason. "She's going to have it rough, but I know she'll pull through in the end. She's tough."

"She'll be taken care of here; I'll personally make sure of it." He said and I nodded because when it was coming from him, I honestly believed that she would be and I never believed in anything so that was saying something. Gaara held out his hand to me, maybe in a sign of friendship or goodbye, and I took it without hesitation. "Arigato."

Alright, that wasn't confusing at all. "For what exactly?"

"Naria, it's time for us to get going." Ashita called before I got my answer and even though I wanted one because I wasn't sure what he was thanking me for, I pulled my hand from Gaara's with a small smile and went after Ashita a second later as he took off running. I caught up to him in no time and ran alongside him. "So, what was that about?"

Yes, because asking that was sure to get him the answer he wanted, which was the truth. "None of your business, that's what that was about." I resorted half-heartedly, and he just chuckled.

"And here I hoped you sleeping naturally for a long time might make you a more pleasant person." He said and I looked at him, shaking my head. Really, he actually thought that that's how that works. I mean yes, sleeping like I did made me feel a lot better physically and even mentally because I hadn't had to deal with nightmares.

"Well now you know not to hope for unreasonable things." I said emotionlessly, even though I was smiling on the inside, and I saw him roll his eyes from the corner of mine. "It's what I do."

"Like how you'll never have a good life." He said.

"It's looking up." I meant that.

"I'm sorry; did I just hear you right? Did you just say something positive?" He asked with over-exaggerated disbelief and I nodded. "Okay, now I'm sure you've been put under a Genjutsu or are critically ill or something like that, because you are not the positive type of person."

"That's not true, I'm positive that I'll win in any fight against you." I said, just to be a smartass, and he shot an annoyed look my way, which made me look at him with a grin. "Also, make a choice. You either want me to be more positive or you don't, which is it because I don't like indecisive people?"

"I want you to be more positive Naria, that isn't even up for debate here, but I don't get why you suddenly changed your outlook on your course of life. You have been very clear that you think it won't change." He said and I sighed.

"It's not my life that I think won't change; it has since I came to Konoha and it is debatably better than the forest – there are however good parts and bad parts to living there. It's me; I'm not sure if I can change as a person – it's not easy dropping walls you've spent years building." I admitted. It was a sad truth, but a true one. I had admitted it to Gaara; my life could change but it would continue to be a lonely one unless I changed too.

I sped up then, not wanting this conversation right now, and Ashita seemed to have to push himself to catch up to me. Here is a good way to avoid being forced into something: Keep moving so they can't corner or catch you.

 **\- Line Breaker -**

I smashed two rocks together in a sliding motion over the wood we had gathered and a spark caught, lighting our camp fire as I worked to get it to burn more so the warmth would actually reach us. Plus, if it was not burning properly, it could die down to the point where it went out and then I'd have to relight it.

"You're exceptionally good at that." Ashita said from where he was sitting crossed legged and I shrugged as I stayed kneeling by the fire, making sure the sticks the fish I had caught were on were stable in the ground. "It's a bit demeaning that you're better at it than I am."

"I grew up here in the forest alone; that involved fending for myself and building shelter out of whatever I could find. If I didn't make a fire, I would have frozen to death before I finally got used to the cold. Also, it would be weird if I wasn't better at it than you." I explained. I mean it was pretty obvious: Girl grows up in forest alone and survives; obviously, she had to have learnt how to provide for herself and protect herself from the elements.

"It's hard to imagine anyone going through that at such a young age and for such a long time." He said and I looked up at him as I sat back.

"It's a hard thing to go through, but it's all I had. No village would take me and I can't really blame them; I looked horrible and had this strange presence about me according to some people, probably because I wasn't too trusting at the time. I couldn't be bothered fighting with them, so this was the only option I had." I said and he looked at me.

"How long were you out here before Kakashi found you?" That is not what he wanted to know; he was just using it to find out something else and I could easily guess what that was.

"Around about one year and nine months I think; I was then caught by Haji and that's when the days started feeling like years." I said and his eyes widened.

He had just realized how long I was with Haji. "Kakashi found you just after two years had passed according to you, not long after your ninth birthday from your best guess, which means you were with Haji for a little over three months."

"That's right – I was there three months, two weeks and three days. It might have felt like years, but I counted every day – I even scratched them into my cell wall." I said because I had counted every day I had been trapped in that hell, and he shook his head.

"How can you be so calm about admitting something like that?" He demanded and I looked at him with annoyance.

"What do you want me to do Ashita? Cry about it because he hurt me, tortured me with Genjutsu, locked me up and made my life a literal living hell; get angry about it and curse until my anger fades. Ashita, he tortured me for months and I will never forget that, but that was over six years ago now. Did seeing him alive bring it all back, yes, and you saw how well I took that." I said to him, slightly harshly, and then I sighed. "Look, I may seem calm and collected about it, but I'm not. I killed people the day I escaped Ashita and I did that by releasing the chakra of the being inside me. I don't remember what happened; all I remember is waking up around dead bodies and being covered in blood. So, I'm sorry if I acted calm about it, but I've been trying my best to forget about it so I can move on past it. Holding onto the past just destroys you."

"Naria, trying to ignore what happened isn't good for you and you shouldn't pretend to be calm when you're not. It isn't good for you." He said and I gritted my teeth. He was beginning to sound like Mononoke.

"You have no idea what some of the people who my uncle keeps sending after me would have done to me if they knew my true emotional state. I've been better off acting cold and emotionless; it's how I've survived for so long." I said and he sighed.

"That's the problem right there Naria; you've been surviving instead of living." He said and I looked up at him as he moved the fish back so they didn't burn. "Kiddo, I get that you've had no other choice up until now and I know that you're scared because of what you are, but you have the chance to actually live now instead of just surviving."

"I don't think it's not that simple." I replied.

"Yeah kid, I know, but you're going to remain as miserable and lonely as you have always been if you don't take a chance." He said and even though I wanted to protest, I instead just stayed silent. I had this voice running through my head, a voice that sounded like my uncle, Haji and Tamaki all rolled into one and it was saying: _Why would anyone ever care about you? You are a nobody, you don't matter at all._

That was what had been said to me in the past, by both Haji and Tamaki, and I really was beginning to agree with the voice. It didn't matter that the way Ashita was acting right now could be considered as caring about me, I didn't matter and nobody knew me at all. Nobody... except for Gaara now: Gaara knew me a lot better than anybody else now and he... he had been able to accept my past for what it was.

I really thought about that as I took the fish from the fire completely, because it was something I seemed to keep forgetting. When I looked at Gaara and saw what he had become and heard about how much he had changed since his meeting A.K.A battle with Naruto, it made me think that maybe my worry about not being able to change was misplaced. If I tried like Gaara did to change, then maybe my life could head in a different, better direction.


	19. Chapter 18

_Chapter Eighteen:_ **Naria's Pov**

When we had arrived back at the village and reached the Hokage tower, Shizune had come running past us in a hurry as we made our way to Lady Tsunade's office, and we soon found Lady Tsunade in a not so happy mode, so Ashita just handed her the report he'd written and we left as fast as we could – even I didn't want to stick around when Tsunade was mad about something, especially this mad. She obviously had a temper and was quite capable of smashing things with one punch. Apparently, the mission Team Kakashi had gone on had gone a lot differently than they had planned and they had had a run in with Orochimaru and Sasuke, but had been unable to bring Sasuke back home. I had a feeling there was more to the story too, because Tsunade really didn't look happy about something and I doubted it was solely because they couldn't bring Sasuke back or because they didn't learn what they wanted.

"Well, it seems like things aren't going too well around here. I guess we actually got a fairly easy mission in comparison." Ashita said and I kinda wanted to point out that it wasn't all that easy for me, but I guess you could say it was easier. I didn't know everything about what happened, so I really couldn't judge, but if I had to guess, I'd say it was a harder mission than our own. I'd had a run in with Orochimaru once before, which was known by a lot of people now, so I knew he had a very annoying companion called Kabuto, and I'd also heard a lot about Sasuke from Sakura.

"It seems so. Lady Tsunade didn't seem happy about something and I don't generally want to know what it is, because I have this distinct feeling it isn't good and doesn't entirely have to do with what happened on the mission." I said and Ashita nodded, before reaching an arm up and ruffling my hair, which made me grimace but I made no move to hit him. Honestly, I was getting used to this habit of his now.

"Well kiddo, I guess this means we can go home and relax for the rest of the day if you feel like it. Hell, you deserve to after the work you did on that mission and then taking on Haji like you did. Everyone definitely owes you gratitude." Ashita said as we exited the Hokage tower and I removed his hand from my head.

"I don't need gratitude for saving people's lives: seeing them better is good enough for me." I said and I saw him smirk, which made me roll my eyes before I sighed. "You know sensei, despite the fact that you sometimes act somewhat childish, and the fact that you sometimes say the wrong things, and how you seem to constantly refuse to call me my given name in an effort to annoy me, you're not too bad. However, you really need to learn to be on time for something other than missions." I said casually as I began to walk off, leaving a stunned and silent Ashita behind me.

"Did you just complement me?" He asked, but I just kept walking without giving him a reply, a small smile playing at my lips.

Look, I wouldn't say it out loud to him _just_ yet, but Ashita was one of the good ones and I actually got along with him when I wasn't being a hard ass. Why'd my view change so suddenly is what he was probably thinking, but truth was, it hadn't, I had just verbalized what I had been thinking for a while now. Ashita was still a bit of a dummy and he could annoy the hell out of me at times, but in the end, he didn't judge. Hell, he had seen a darker side of me on the mission and yet he was telling I should start living my life. I'd rather not tell him that, at least for now anyways, but I had started to take a liking to the somewhat childish man who was my sensei.

However, suddenly an arm wrapped around my shoulder, the full force of the person who jumped at me nearly knocking me down. I turned my head to the side and saw Ashita standing there with a huge grin on his face. Yep, definitely wasn't telling him this yet – it was funnier leaving him guessing.

"I knew you'd warm up to me eventually kiddo." He smirked and I shook my head at him.

"Yeah, well, you happen to have a stubborn determination to not drop anything – I'm stubborn too, but still." I said simply, which made his smirk widen. "I'm going to go grab something to eat before I go home, do you want to come?" I asked, considering I was hungry and honestly didn't mind him coming along – I said I was going to change and I was going to start by opening up a bit and stop being the cold person I pretended to be.

"Count me in. I feel like I haven't eaten in days." He said and I shook my head as I walked in the general direction of a food stall that I enjoyed eating at. They had sushi, which was one of my favourite foods.

"You know sensei, the amount of food you can eat sometimes disturbs me, especially since you have muscle on your body, not fat. I swear, your stomach has to be an endless pit." I said, because I had seen how much this man could eat and honestly, I wasn't sure how. There was nothing wrong with eating a lot, because some people just did, but I was still disturbed by the way he could eat the first time I saw it. He'd eaten ten times more than I had and some of it he had practically engulfed.

"What, I have a big appetite." He said causally and I shook my head.

"I've noticed." I commented and he laughed at that, which made me roll my eyes, even smile a little. I couldn't deny that I was beginning to get along with him. He was easy to get along with.

 **-Line Breaker –**

As I finally reached my apartment, I was glad to be home. Ashita and I had actually had a decent lunch together, considering I wasn't as against spending time with him as I once had been. I had paid since I felt like paying and then we had parted ways so I could pick up food for home and Ashita could go sleep – he'd literally told me he was going home, washing up and passing out. I'll admit, since I let so much off my chest and stopped hiding that one painful event, I was actually able to act more causal around Ashita. I still had a wall up, but I wasn't acting as cold and aloof as I normally did because I felt less inclined to. I probably wouldn't change so much around other people just yet, but I knew Ashita better than I did others. Still, thinking about the weight that wasn't there anymore, I knew I would have to thank Gaara if I got to see him again. I'd realized now that I had to start discovering who I really was, instead of who I had forced myself to become.

I unlocked my front door and kicked it shut behind me as I walked toward the kitchen, placing my bags down. I saw Mononoke lying on the floor and walked over to her, since she seemed to be ignoring me. I knew she was awake, because she would have heard and smelt me come home. She was a wolf, after all.

I knelt down beside her, because we had to talk. "Are you going to continue ignoring me, because I kind of need to talk to you?" I asked and I got no answer, which made me sigh. "Listen, I did what you said. I talked to someone and got everything off my chest." I said.

"You did?" She asked, as she finally looked at me.

"Yeah, I even talked about what I wouldn't tell you about. Ashita knows what happened to me before you came, which you should know too. I was captured by someone, who is now dead, by the way, and he did horrible things to me, but I think I can start coping with them now." I said and she looked at me.

"You sound different." She said and I smiled lightly.

"Well, you were right. Talking about everything that happened to me, to someone who would understand it and not judge, helped me a lot – so did getting it off my chest. It also made me realize something I wished I'd realized a long time ago, something you've tried to tell me." I said and she continued looking at me, waiting for me to go on. "I realized that I've spent far too long pretending to be someone I'm not. I'm not cold or heartless; I care about people and no matter how hard I try, I can't become heartless. I know now that I need to stop letting my past control my future, which also has something to do with my past coming back to haunt me… in the flesh, so to speak. I didn't have it easy, but I'm never going to have it easy if I let everything that happened to me shape my future. Not everyone in this world are like the people from my past, and I have to accept that." I said.

"I'm glad you finally learned that; I've been trying to tell you that for years." She said and I nodded, before I realized that if I was going to say what I wanted to say, I had to say it now. I'd made up my mind on the way home.

"Yeah, I know you did, and I'm sorry I never listened to you." I said, because even if it wasn't an immediate change, I needed to make changes. "Mononoke, you've helped me so much, kept me in one piece when I've felt like breaking, but I'm a big girl now. As much as I needed you then and as much as I'll miss you, I think it's time you go home. You never should have stayed with me to begin with – you belong on your mountain forest." I said and she stood up now, which nearly made me fall out of my crouched position.

"What, but you're still in danger." She protested and I shook my head, placing a hand on her head.

"I'm a ninja, meaning I'll probably always stumble into danger and purposely do dangerous things." I said and I knew that she was glaring at me. "Look, I can deal with Tamaki if he comes calling, and if I have to, I'll deal with my uncle to stop all that too. But, it still doesn't change the fact that you need to go home. Mononoke, you never should have stayed with me, especially when I came to the village, and even though you did and you helped me, I'll be okay now. I'm not alone anymore, I have Ashita watching my back and we both know he won't give up trying to annoy me, so it's time you go back to where you belong. You're supposed to be summoned and you're supposed to be living in the wolves' forest mountain."

"Are you sure this is what you want?" She asked me and I smiled at her.

"Not entirely, because we both know my mind is a little messed up, but I know it's what needs to happen, for both of us. I have to learn how to be myself and learn who that is, and I know you need to go home. You've wanted and needed to go back for a while, but you wanted to make sure I was alright. Well, guess what, I'm better now and I'm happy here. I might not know who I am and there is still a lot that I need to deal with, but you don't need to be with me for me to do that." I said and she moved her head closer to my shoulder, which made me wrap my arms around her neck.

"Just promise me that, when you're ready and you know what's inside you, that you'll come train with my mother." She said and I nodded. Tsukino had mentioned something about that, but she wanted to know what was inside me first, because she said she got a somewhat familiar feeling from me.

"Yeah, I promise. Hopefully, I'll find out very soon. To be honest, I'm beginning to think that maybe the reason I don't know yet is because I'm afraid of the power it gives me, but maybe I'll be able to accept it soon." I said as she moved away from me. "Be careful on your way home."

"You know, the next time I see you, I might tower over you." She said and I had to let out a small laugh at that, and that surprised me, because it was actually a real laugh.

"I think I can live with that. I don't think people will be too tempted to fight a wolf that towers over them." I said and she gave me a wolfie grin, before I stood up and went over to the glass balcony door.

"If you need me, summon me." She said and I nodded.

"I promise." I said and with that, she jumped off the balcony. I went out over to the balcony and watched as she ran down the street, my arms resting against the railing as she ran towards one of the gates.

I knew I had made the right choice, even if I cared about her and wished she could stay with me. She didn't belong here, she belonged with her family in the mountains. She always had, I had just been selfish and had wanted her to stay with me. Truth was though, I didn't need her with me anymore, so I had to get her to go home. I knew she wouldn't have left if she hadn't believed me, but apparently, she had believed me. My life needed to change, and I was going to change it.

* * *

 **Hey guys, little note for you hear. I might have to slow down on updates soon as I'm running out of pre-written chapters, though I plan to write more soon. My main problem is that the anime site where I was watching the English dub of Naruto updated and now the Naruto video's aren't playing, so I have to find a new site to watch them, as I'm only up to episode 121.**


	20. Author's note

**Hey, everyone. I hate doing these things, but I don't want to leave anyone hanging. The updates for the story are going to slow down, and I'm sorry for that, but this week I'm going to start an eight hour's a day course in hospitality, which will go on for four weeks, then placement that will hopefully lead to a job, so I'm not going to have much time to write. Now, I'm hoping I can get a chapter out before I start the course and I'm going to try really hard to in the next few days, but we'll see what happens. Hope you guys all understand.**


	21. Chapter 19

_Chapter Nineteen:_ **Naria's Pov**

I sat on a boulder in the training field, waiting for Ashita to turn up with my head directed up at the sky and a bored look surely on my face – it was boring waiting without Mononoke here to talk to, though I didn't mind watching the clouds. He'd issued a week break from training, saying we needed the break after our mission, so I had no idea why he was late yet again. Surely, he'd rested enough the last seven days – hell, I had just studied in my apartment because it was something relaxing but practical, and I'd also thought a lot of things through without letting my past blind my view – I'm sure I did everything I possibly could do in my apartment, and I went out a couple times and walked around the village too. One day, I was going to find out what made him so late so often, mark my words. You know what, that day was going to be today.

I got off the rock and took back off towards the village with purpose, in search of my late sensei. There was no way the reason he was always late was because he "slept in" or "saw someone in need of his help". I mean that might be the reason some of the time – especially sleeping in – but not all the time. At least he'd never made up ridiculous excuses like Kakashi did. Thankfully, I could sense someone's chakra and use that to track them down – I hadn't even realized I could do that until I moved here and started spending time with Ashita, which allowed me to become familiar with his charka signature.

I walked through the village, passing the weapon stores where I'd gotten specially made shuriken that I could use with my wind jutsu – my families' specialty was to cause wind to form around our weapons. We could create blades of wind with swords and send spirals of wind with kunai and shuriken. It worked better if the blade absorbed the person's chakra, but I didn't have the material to get weapons made, so I'd asked for shuriken that were basically miniature versions of windmill shuriken – using them helped cause the wind around them to be wider and they went further.

I came to a stop in the middle of a street after a while of searching and looked down it, seeing Ashita, and what I saw made me laugh – I literally laughed, though it was only a short one. He was standing in front of a brown-haired women and he was flirting with her, his hand against the wall beside her head and an attempt at a charming expression on his face. Really, that's what was keeping him. Well, I guess it made sense why sometimes he was later than others – it depended how interested he was in the woman he was talking to and how long the woman let him sweet talk her.

I watched as the girl laughed and then walked off, making me shake my head as Ashita removed his hand from the wall and rubbed the back of his neck. I just started walking towards him, not knowing what to say.

"Turned down again." I heard Asuma say as he came up to Ashita, patting him on the shoulder, and Ashita looked annoyed as I casually kept walking towards him.

"Not all of us have partners Asuma." He replied and his back was to me now, meaning Asuma saw me.

"Well, if it's any constellation, you're about to be face to face with a girl, but she doesn't look impressed." Asuma said, patting his shoulder again before walking off, obviously not wanting to be a part of this.

Ashita turned slowly and came face to face with me. "You know, I thought of a lot of reasons why you're always late, like sleeping in or visiting your sisters grave, which I know you do both. You stopping to flirt with women was not one of them though." I said, an accusing look on my face and he chuckled nervously. "How often do you do this?"

"Why'd you come looking for me?" He asked and I rolled my eyes. Well, he was obviously avoiding my question.

"Because I've been your student for months and I was becoming bored, so I decided to find out what was taking you so long." I said cynically and he chuckled nervously. "I don't care if you want to flirt with women, because kami-sama knows it's not any of my business and you are 31 after all, so it's not that weird and of course you want a girlfriend, but can you do it after we train please? I feel sorry for Asuma, having to put up with you all these years."

"I'll try to do that, but Asuma's lucky to have me as a friend." He said and I nodded, accepting that for what it was and ignoring the second comment because I didn't have anything to say to it. He normally kept to what he said, which is why he said try – I had a feeling that if he saw a girl who really took his interest, he was going to stop and leave me waiting. "So, how are things going with Mononoke?"

"She's gone home." I replied as we started walking towards the training field, again, and I could feel his gaze.

"Wow, it was that bad?" He asked and I laughed lightly, making him look down at me in confusion.

"No, it wasn't. I told her to go home. She never should have stayed with me to begin with, especially when I came here, so I made up my mind and told her to go, telling her I'd be fine. She must have believed me, because she went." I explained, since I did understand why he thought our fight had been bad.

"Did you actually mean it?" He asked and I nodded.

"Yeah, for once I actually did. I'm not saying that I'm perfectly fine, because I'm not, but I'm beginning to get there – being in this village helps. I'm starting to realize that pretending doesn't get you anywhere in life, it just makes you even more miserable – the same applies to hating: life's too short to cling to hate." I said, and I saw a look on his face, which made me sigh. "You're not allowed to tell anyone I'm not how I've been acting though, alright. I'll get around to showing I'm not as soon as I feel ready to." I said and he chuckled.

"Naria, I've known that your cold act was a façade for ages, I just had to hope you finally realized you didn't have to be that way and started finding yourself." He said and I felt like shaking my head, but I didn't. "I guess the Kazekage helped you as much as you helped him."

"I can't deny that." I said and he placed a hand on my shoulder.

"Well then, let's go. We need to get training. Thankfully, you've masted your Sitari and have it down packed from the looks of it, not that I'd really know. Still, if you really want to start practicing to change your chakra nature so you make a Wind Sitari, we have to get to work. You already have use of your wind nature and are skilled with it, so that will make it easier, but this is going to be hard and maybe near impossible." Ashita said and I shrugged, because with the pure concentration of chakra, it was powerful. Still, it was made to eventually be used with wind, so I had to learn how to add the change of chakra nature. It wasn't going to be easy, but I was going to give it my all. "How'd you come up with the idea anyway?"

"I technically didn't, though mine is more powerful and focused than the original. I found some pages hidden in my medical book that explained a technique my great-grandfather was working on right before he died. He succeeded in creating a less powerful one before his death, but I read what was written and managed to figure it out on my own after a hell of a lot of training. It would help if I had his actual journal, but I didn't. Still, it was written that he wanted to add a change of chakra nature once he perfected the technique, so that were I got the idea." I explained and he chuckled lightly.

"Well, the Yukina family must be talented." He said and I didn't know what to say. "You don't have to say anything Naria."

"If it's with you, it's okay." I said and he seemed surprised. "Look, I've had a week to think about this since we got back from Suna, and I've come to a decision: I trust you. I don't trust people easily for a lot of reasons, so now that I'm telling you I trust you, don't make me regret it, okay."

"I don't plan on doing that, not after how hard I've worked to make you see that I can be trusted – I've never had to work so hard in my life." He said and I smiled lightly. It was becoming easier and easier to be around him, now that I wasn't acting like a heartless bitch that didn't like him.

"Then I don't mind talking about my family. I realized after talking to Gaara that I've been focusing so hard on forgetting them that I've begun to believe I hate them." I said as we kept walking and I felt him watching me. "Don't get me wrong, I definitely hated my uncle for sending people to kill me for all these years, and I have no real love for my mother, but I realized I don't hate anyone else. I guess that's what I get when I sit down and actually think about it without letting my anger get in the way. It also helps to stop focusing on hate."

"What do you mean, everyone else?" He asked and I sighed.

"I'm a princess, from the valley of dreams." I said and his eyes widened in shock, but I just continued. "Yeah, figured you didn't know that. Basically, that meant all the people knew there was something different about me, thanks to my mother. I also had a father and three siblings, but the only sibling I got along with back then was my oldest brother Riku. He was eight years older than me and loved me."

"If your brother was that old and loved you, why didn't he take care of you?" He asked and I sighed.

"That's why I feel guilty, because he did. Right after I turned six, my parents tried to kill me – my mother willingly, my father; well, I'm not so sure he was willing anymore. The more I think about it, the more I'm sure he wasn't because of how different he was that night. Riku saved me that night, but he had to kill our father to do it, who had killed our mother. He was forced to run and he didn't want to subject me to that life at six – neither of us knew how far our uncle would go to see us dead. Riku gave up his former life to save mine." I explained. I'd always felt guilty about that and that had made me hate our parents, but I was starting to think about it more now and starting to remember things about my father I hadn't before.

"I'm starting to see why you became so screwed up." He said and I looked at him, which made him raise his hands. "You know what I mean Naria. You were betrayed by your parents who tried to kill you, you lost your brother because he saved you, your uncle did who knows what to you before this all started and you were hunted for years after being tortured. Anyone would be screwed up after all that." He said and I sighed.

"Once you've been hurt, you get scared to get attached again, because you're always thinking everyone you love will always end up hurting you. Truth is though, I'd take getting hurt over being lonely and having no one to turn to, because at least when you're hurt it means you feel something. When you're alone, sometimes you feel nothing." I said, because I was sick of not feeling anything other than sadness.

"You know, I'm surprised you're a princess and have siblings." He said and now I had to let out a laugh, which shocked him.

"Yeah, that life was never really for me – I was always too curious, different and free to be a perfect princess and my mother hated me for it; well, she hated me in general actually. I found the lessons boring, but I shut up and took them because it was my duty. As for siblings, I was only close to Riku because Nobu thought I was a freak thanks to our mother and Ayame was younger than me and was kept away from me a lot of the time." I explained as we reached the training field. Ashita hadn't been far from it, so it wasn't a long walk.

"I don't like the sound of your mother, or any of the basted's that have hurt you." He said and I didn't know what I should say now, as I wasn't used to opening up like this, but as it just so happens, I wasn't given the chance.

"Well, I guess I count as one of those basted's." A familiar and obnoxious voice said and I turned around to see Tamaki standing there, though he was in his cursed form – I wasn't even going to begin to explain what that looked like, because I had no proper words. "You've changed since the last time we met."

"That's funny, coming from someone who looks hideous in that form." I said because, despite not caring much about looks, he looked bad like that. "Still, I was wondering when you'd show your face again."

"Well, it's about time I came and finished you off. Kakashi is recovering from the sounds of it too, so I can kill two birds with one stone." Tamaki said and I scoffed.

"You're very cocky for someone who hasn't even begun to fight, and one hell of a coward if you're actually thinking of attacking Kakashi while he's injured, not that you could touch him." I said and I watched as he looked at Ashita.

"And who exactly are you supposed to be?" Tamaki asked and Ashita pulled the swords off his back.

"Kazuma Ashita, Naria's sensei. Now, are you going to stand there talking all day or are you going to attack us?" Ashita asked and I kinda wanted to laugh since I had just been thinking those words.

"Eager, aren't we?" Tamaki said before he smashed his now meaty hand into the ground, making Ashita and I leap to the sides to dodge the debris. "Earth style: Rock skewer jutsu." He said as he performed hand signs.

"Ashita, jump!" I shouted and just in time too, because we both jumped and barely missed the multiple rock spikes that burst out of the ground. I hated this jutsu, I really damn did.

I landed on one of the slanted spikes, so my foot didn't get impaled, and used a burst of speed to jump towards Tamaki. I spun in the air and my foot connected with a tree, splitting it in half – Tamaki had dodged my kick by an inch. I landed on the ground and spared a look towards Ashita, who seemed unharmed, before taking out my kunai and running towards Tamaki, barely giving him a chance to block it with one of his own. A dance of blades began as I tried to force him to move back, but he kept up with my quick movements, though I was able to cause a deep cut against his arm. However, as they connected again, Tamaki started putting a lot of force on his blade and I could barely keep it back, which I had to try to do or my own kunai would be pushed into my chest. He was a lot stronger then he used to be, that was for sure. I grabbed out another kunai from my holster quickly and swung it in a wide arch, knocking him away from me with a blade of wind. It wasn't far, but it was enough to give me some fighting room. I put both kunai back, 'cause they weren't going to work right now.

"And here I thought you rejected your family's jutsu?" Tamaki said and I rolled my eyes.

"I moved past it." I said and I threw my fist forward. "Forceful punch." I said and a burst of wind followed my fist, hitting Tamaki in the chest and sending him flying back.

Forceful punch was a technique my father had created for our family, which led me to believe that he was the one who wrote about Sitari in my medical book. He'd written about the forceful punch technique in my book and explained how to use it, and I'd seen him teaching it to Riku as kids, but I'd only started teaching myself how to use it recently. That made me think that my father cared more about me then I had thought.

Before I could use my light dagger jutsu – the only light jutsu I knew, minus the light clone jutsu that was more like an illusion jutsu right now, which meant they could attack, but they'd pass right through – it caught an enemies attention for a while, and I could make a few solid clones too, I was forced to dodge one of his blows. I went to move past him to attack from behind, but he caught my hair, before he picked me up by the throat. Damn he was strong, and his skin felt as tough as rock.

I reached for my kunai again, before quickly driving it as hard as I could into his hand, sending it right through. I landed on the ground, gasping for air, when he suddenly kicked me hard across the field. I landed on the ground, surprised he was so much stronger. I was going to have to run as fast as I could to win, which I was ready to do. I was incredibly fast.

"Earth style: Earth prison jutsu." Ashita said and I looked up to see earth wrap around Tamaki, only for it to crush a log. Tamaki used a substitution jutsu, which was obvious when a boulder was sent flying at Ashita.

I ran, noticing that one of Ashita's legs had been cut by one of the rock spikes, and basically tackled him out of the way – it caused my arm to be cut by one of the rock spikes that was still there, but I didn't care. I hit the ground beside Ashita, having gotten us out of the way just in time.

"Naria, you're bleeding." Ashita said as he sat up and I stood up.

"Don't worry about it, just stay out of this fight. I'm not letting you get hurt because of this idiot." I said, before walking out in the clear path the boulder had left. "I see Orochimaru's curse mark really did make you stronger."

"I see coming to this village has made you weak – you normally fight better than this, but you're concerned about him getting hurt, which I guess you're not used to." Tamaki said and I shook my head.

"It's this little thing called caring Tamaki: I care about his life, meaning I'd rather be hurt then let you hurt him. My life is no more important than his." I said and he started laughing, though it wasn't a good laugh.

Suddenly he performed the hand signs for the rock skewer jutsu and I had to quickly jump to dodge them, but they just kept going higher, so I created hand signs and substituted out of there, avoiding getting pierced in the shoulder. I looked through the spikes and saw Ashita fighting Tamaki in hand to hand combat, his swords long ago lost because of all the dodging. Ashita was skilled when it came to Taijutsu, Genjutsu and Kenjutsu – he was really good with swords – but Tamaki wasn't naturally strong, it was something different – it was unnatural that he could get so strong so quickly, because I'd fought him once before he'd poisoned me and he was a lot weaker than this. I'd gotten strong because I'd trained every day to get that way, and the same was said for my speed.

I saw Ashita get hit hard, his back getting slammed into the boulder I'd been sitting on earlier today, and dashed and jumped my way through the spikes in seconds. I landed in front of Ashita and while I couldn't stop Tamaki's kunai from becoming imbedded in my left shoulder, I did manage to catch his arm last minute and kick him with my foot, sending him hurtling through his own spikes.

"Naria, why did you do that?" Ashita asked in shock as I pulled the kunai out of my left shoulder, wincing slightly as I threw it away.

"To protect you, obviously." I replied and I don't know what it was, but as I looked over at Tamaki, it felt like a power activated within my eyes. As I looked at him, things were clearer and even though I wasn't looking at Ashita, I could sense him getting up. What the hell was this?!

I watched as Tamaki ran towards me like a bull that was pissed off, even though he was actually thin in size when he was normal, though he wasn't right now. The moment he got to me, I could see the muscles in his right arm move and was easily able to dodge his strike and kick him in the side, before I leapt up and punched him in the face. He stumbled back and as I saw how he was bracing himself I spun on my heel and kicked him in his stomach. I'd always been good at blocking people's attacks and quick at attacking, but this was just plain weird.

Without waiting for him to recover, I started channelling Sitari and focusing my chakra into my arm. I felt the swirls of power swirl around my lower arm and watched as it started looking like a tornado around my arm and grow in size. I ran forward with a burst of speed and came along side Tamaki.

"Sitari." I slammed it right into his chest as his eyes opened wide and there was a large explosion as second later.

After a few moments, the light and dirt cleared, and let's just say that what was left of Tamaki wasn't pretty. I turned around then and Ashita walked over to me, though it was more like limped over, and came to stand in front of me as my eyes suddenly felt normal again.

"You have a dōjutsu, like the Hyuga's and the Uchiha's." Ashita said, which was the last thing I was expecting him to say, and I stared at him in blankly. "It's gone now."

"I'm sorry, what?!" I demanded, because I was sure I'd heard him wrong.

"Ashita, what are you two doing over here?" Asuma asked as he arrived, Shikamaru walking lazily behind him. "I think the whole village heard you. Tsunade asked us – well, more like told us – to come check to see if Naria was killing you."

"Well that's just plain insulting." I muttered, which everyone noticed.

"I'll explain that in a minute, and who that guy is." Ashita said, pointing to Tamaki's body, and then he looked back at me. "Now why didn't you tell me?"

"Because I didn't know." I said in annoyance. How the hell was I supposed to know I had a dōjutsu, I mean as far as I knew no one in any of my family lines had one?!

"What's going on?" Shikamaru asked and Ashita sighed.

"Naria has a dōjutsu, which she didn't know about." Ashita said.

"Does it run in your family?" Shikamaru asked and I shook my head.

"No. The Yukina family doesn't have a dōjutsu and the Kohinata family doesn't have one either, though it has a kekkei genkai: the paralyzation release, which allows them to paralyze parts of their opponents with one touch, or their whole body if you hit the right area." I said, because there was no way I got it from any member of my family – I would have surely heard of it. "What did it look like?"

"Well it was gold or yellow – I'm actually not sure what to call it – and lines formed around the pupil, forming a shuriken shape, one point at the top and one at the bottom, with one pointing to each side." Ashita said and the moment he said that it was gold or yellow, he wasn't sure, it kinda clicked.

"Then, I might get it from the same place I get my personal kekkei genkai from – my light release." I said and I saw it click in his head. He knew I was talking about what was inside me. Now, while that sounded impossible, it was the only way I could think of that would allow me to have a dōjutsu and kekkei genkai I'd never heard of before.

"Well, whatever the case, I think we should go back and talk to Lady Tsunade." He said and I looked at him, then at his bleeding leg.

"Don't you want me to heal your leg first?" I asked and he shook his head. I was well aware Shikamaru and Asuma were still there.

"You just took a kunai that was meant for me. I think I can live with it." He said and I nodded, because there was no point in fighting with this stubborn mule. "Sorry that you had to drag yourself out here Asuma. We'll deal with this, but if anyone asks, just tell them there was a rogue ninja attack." Ashita said and Asuma nodded, though whether he'd do it or not was up to him.

It was beginning to get pretty damn weird, my life, but I was okay with that. I was actually beginning to find myself now that I was trying to and I'd taken care of one very big pain in my ass too. Staying in this village was the best decision I had ever made.

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 **Okay guys, so another chapter done. I've got a picture of the dojustu up on my Mazza Faye facebook account, which I've been using to put pictures up as I don't know where else to put them right now. Anyway, I hope you guys enjoyed. I'll be back with the next chapter when I have the time to.**


	22. Chapter 20

**Another chapter is out, and it might be the only chapter for a little while as I have to catch up with them. But, plus side, I can watch Naruto again now. Anyway, hope that my explanations are easy to understand in this chapter and you guys enjoy.  
**

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 _Chapter Twenty:_ _ **Naria's Pov**_

I flopped down onto my bed, letting out a long yawn. It wasn't even night-time yet and I was tired. Since I'd learnt that I had a dōjutsu, ironically enough thanks to Tamaki trying to kill me again, I had been trying to find something out about what was inside me – I didn't know anything about the thing though, so it was hard to learn something. To my surprise, Ashita had been helping me research despite the fact that he hated reading and studying, but we'd come to the very obvious conclusion after days of searching that there were no records on this thing. Whatever it was, no one had apparently ever heard of its existence, at least no one here.

I shut my eyes and let myself slowly drift off to sleep, which was a little easier for me now than it had once been. I guess it helped that I was safer here then I was in the forest and I wasn't holding onto everything like I once had been. It was nice, being able to sleep.

 **\- Line Breaker -  
**

 _I was standing in a large room, that had white walls and a brown floor, and it was slightly dark, but clear where I was. I wasn't entirely sure that I was dreaming, but I had to be – if this was real, then I didn't know what to think. I turned around and jumped back as I came face to face with a large, deadly looking white wolf that didn't look entirely normal – I had never seen a wolf that looked like this, and I'd met Tsukino, who still didn't compare in size. Its head was resting on its front paws as it laid there and it was looking straight at me with large golden, or I guess you could call them nice yellow, eyes that had black slits as pupils and black around it._

 _"_ _What are you?" I asked in apprehension and she smiled, which was somewhat threatening, though I doubted it was meant to be. I had no idea why I thought she, but I did._

 _"_ _I believe you've already worked out what I am, but my name is Demiyah. I'm the beast inside you, as you call me. Also, it's obvious I'm a wolf." She said and I chuckled._

 _"_ _Well, what else was I supposed to call you? I didn't know what you were and I didn't know your name until now – it's not like anyone ever explained this to me – it's kinda been a learn as I go process, though more like an ignore it process." I said and she nodded._

 _"_ _I'm well aware of that Naria, I have been inside of you your entire life." She said and I sighed as I walked over to her, before I sat crossed legged on the ground, looking around. That was kinda creepy, which is what I'd thought since I realized I had something in me._

 _"_ _Are we in my mind?" I asked and she shook her head._

 _"_ _Technically, we are inside you, but the where is much harder to explain. If I did, I'd probably give you a migraine, so I think I won't. I'm pretty sure you don't want to know as well." She said._

 _Well, she wasn't wrong there. "No offense, but what are you and why were you sealed inside of me?" I asked, because that was something I didn't understand. Again, it's not like whoever sealed her inside of me came and explained it._

 _"_ _I don't remember much, as my memory was, as you'd say, put through the ringer when I was sealed inside you." Huh, I probably would have put it that way. "The reason I was sealed inside you was because I was in a battle that nearly claimed my life when you were born and the guardians saw it as their only option, though I don't know why – it might have been better for them if they'd let me die – it's not like they liked me and it's not like I wanted this. Why they chose you, I don't know – I'm glad they did because you're not an annoying child, but I have a feeling it was because you were born on the day it all happened and they would not have had many options – they went looking for children." She explained and honestly, that just made me even more confused. "As for what I am, I'm one of the two twin wolf beings. I don't know why I was created or who created me, but I do know that I'm light and Kaage, the other being, is darkness, though it's more like we're supposed to represent light and dark. I guess you can call us demons, like the tailed-beasts, though different. Our powers are different, and I'm sure they're most likely stronger in their natural form and harder to seal than we are." She explained._

 _"_ _Why has no one heard of you, I mean everyone has heard of the tailed-beasts? Even I heard of them as a child, and I was a sheltered child." I asked, because it was curious. You'd think people would have heard of not one, but two giant wolf demons that had the power they had._

 _"_ _Kaage and I were both sealed away a very long time ago, not long after we were created, so no one ever found out about us, but something happened near the day before your birth that led to our release. I can't recall what and it is annoying that I can't, but whatever it was, it was kept secret by the guardians. They've kept watch over our prisons for generations." She explained and now I was a little annoyed._

 _"_ _Alright, I'm understanding this all so far, but let me get this straight: If these guardians are the only ones who know about you, and are the ones who sealed you inside me without even thinking to tell my parents what the hell they were doing, then why haven't they come to explain this all to me already? You'd think they'd keep a closer eye on the demon they were guarding." I demanded and she sighed._

 _"_ _My guess is that they've had trouble tracking you down because you were constantly on the move. Also, they may have thought you'd kill them for sealing me in you, or they didn't see it as a priority. You despised me for a long time because I made you different." She said and I sighed. Well, I couldn't deny that one. I had blamed her for a lot of the shit that had happened in my life, but I knew that it wasn't her fault – I'd only come to that realization a while ago though._

 _"_ _I'm guessing I was the main reason you weren't talking to me." I said, which was mainly a statement, and she nodded._

 _"_ _That, among other things. I didn't really want to talk to the weak little human child I was stuck in against my will, as I used to see humans as pathetic." She said. "No offense."_

 _"_ _None taken." I said, since I couldn't take offense to that. "Why am I so different though? Why do I have a dōjutsu and the light release? Why is my hair white?"_

 _"_ _Because I'm not just sealed inside you Naria." She said and my eyes widened in shock. What the hell did that mean? "Sealing me inside a human was the only way to keep me alive, and it had to be a baby so they could adapt to my chakra over time, but because of how I was, they were able to permanently seal me within you. Our bloodlines are now linked Naria, which is why you can see, hear and taste more. It's why you're able to use the light release. It's why you were able to activate the Miragan, which gives you a clearer and more precise view and feel of your surroundings, and lets you see things in more detail then you normally would – basically your eyes are three times as strong and you can mirror your opponent's movements, though you can't copy their jutsu's like Kakashi can. It's more like you know how they're going to strike when fighting hand to hand or with weapons. You also can't be affected by Genjutsu, any Genjutsu, when it's active. Your eyes are like a mirror, they reflect. The name isn't perfect for its abilities, I know, but I didn't pick it. _You'll have to practice to master it, but soon enough you'll be able to see at little further too, though you have to be careful how often you use it as it will strain your normal eyesight and might cause blurred vision."_ She explained to me and I allowed myself to process what she'd just told me, about everything. _

_Everything I had thought made me weird, was actually normal because my blood-line was linked to Demiyah's – I'm not saying that's normal, but it explained everything. It explained why Tsukino said there was something familiar about me too. It actually explained everything, including my hair colour, because she had white fur._

 _"_ _Why did I only activate the Miragan now, and what's the seal on my chest for? Is it actually the seal sealing you inside of me?" I asked and she smiled._

 _"_ _I'll answer your first question first. It's because you did the one thing you've never done before: You committed a selfless act to protect someone else, without any thought of what it could do to you, which led you to get hurt for them. If the situation had been different with Gaara, you might have activated it then." She said and I smiled lightly. I'd never had the chance to protect someone when I was young since I didn't have the strength to, and I was alone in the forest for years after that. Ashita was one of the first people I've wanted to protect since I was young, and one of the first people I've gotten close to. "As for the seal on your chest, it's isn't the seal for keeping me in you. It's actually a seal keeping half my power sealed, so you can't use it yet. It was mainly placed there so you didn't lose control until you were older, but it nearly broke when you were tortured. It could have broken if you wanted more power bad enough, but you don't crave power like some humans. You'll be able to brake it eventually, with my help, if you ever need to use more of my power."_

 _That's when I put two and two together. "The reason the guardians were okay with sealing you inside me, it's because you can never get out, isn't it? You'll die when I die, and if anyone even tries to take you out of me, we'll both die. Am I right?" I asked and she nodded._

 _"_ _You always have been deceptively smart. Whatever reason they placed me in you, it must have been important, because I can sense they did the same to Kaage and he's got a worse temper than I do, and it's very dangerous having us out where we can hurt people. It's the one difference between us and tailed beasts – we can die. We are demons of sorts despite being different to them, and despite being considered light, a demon's good isn't the same as yours – I didn't formally care about human lives, and Kaage cared less than I did." She said and I nodded. My guess was, there was something out there that they needed Demiyah and Kaage to deal with. "You are probably right about that one, and I probably once knew who that was."_

 _"_ _Wait, you can read my mind?" I asked and she laughed; well, the wolf version of a laugh anyway._

 _"_ _Naria, I'm inside you and literally a part of you, I can hear anything you think or say, and I can feel anything you feel." She said and I shivered._

 _"_ _That's just plain creepy." I stated and she moved her head closer to mine, invading my personal space. Then again, she was technically a part of me, so I'm not sure she could invade my personal space any more than she was._

 _"_ _Imagine what it's like for me, an ancient demon, sealed inside a teenager. At least you're not boy crazy or annoying, like some girls in this village. It's not like I wanted to watch a human girl grow up from when she was a newborn, but I had no choice." She said and I smiled. "But, on a different matter, you're not wrong. You have forgotten things about your father, things that were sealed away – you never noticed before because you started hating him after what Haji did to you, but you once knew he loved you. He did love you too, I know that much. I may not be human, but it was obvious."_

 _"_ _Can I get the memories of him back?" I asked, because lately I'd known that there was something I was missing._

 _"_ _I can break the seal, as it's not that hard to break, so you'll remember everything when you wake up." She said and I looked down at my hands. I wanted to ask her about Haji, but then again, I wasn't so sure I wanted to know. "Naria, what happened with Haji, it wasn't your fault. Yes, the initial blast was created by you releasing my chakra in an act of pain, but I took over after that and I killed them. You weren't guilty, I was, not that I feel the least bit guilty for killing those pigs. I don't care about human life the way you do."_

 _Right, mind reader. "You can take control over my body?" I asked and she shook her head._

 _"_ _I could only do it that one time because you were weak and emotionally fragile. I wouldn't do it again, but more importantly, I couldn't unless you let me. You're too strong for that now." She said and I nodded, because I was actually glad I knew the truth. "Naria, I'm sorry. I didn't care about humans much before, but after watching you grow up, I feel guilty. Your mother wouldn't have treated you that way if it wasn't for me and you might have had an easier life."_

 _"_ _I can't blame you for my mothers or my uncle's actions – their actions are on them. Yes, you changed me, but if it wasn't for you I never would have gotten to this age and it's not like you wanted to be stuck in a human girl. My mother was naïve, narrow-minded and just plain rude – she wanted everything to be perfect and had ridiculous views on life, and she abused me because of it – I doubt she would have been much different if I hadn't changed. Tadao, he's just messed up in the head because he never got what he wanted." I said, because I couldn't blame her for others mistakes – I couldn't hate myself for what they had done to me._

 _"_ _You've changed since you came to this village, though more-so since you met Gaara and talked with him. He really gave you some things to think about and just meeting him made you start to think about things." She said._

 _It was true, meeting Gaara had changed my perspective on life and had shown me that having a screwed-up life as a kid didn't mean everything. I had to let go of my past or else I was never going to be happy – if you dwell on the past, you're never going to have a good future._

 _"_ _Yeah, he's a lot like me in some senses, but he stopped letting his past control his future. It's about time I did the same thing, 'cause as we both know, how I've been acting is not really me." I said and she nodded, before I suddenly heard a knocking. "Where is that coming from?" I asked, looking around._

 _"_ _The front door of your apartment." Demiyah said. "You better wake up."_

 _"_ _Can I talk to you again?" I asked and she nodded._

 _"_ _You'll be able to hear me in your head now, so I can talk to you and you can talk to me whenever we want, though I'll try to keep the connection quiet on my end unless I need to talk to you." She promised._

 **\- Line Breaker –**

As I sat up in my bed, memories flashed through my head and tears ran down my cheeks as I sat there, remembering all the things I'd forgotten about my father.

He really had loved me, Demiyah wasn't lying to me. He used to come to my room every night and read me to sleep, unless he wasn't in the castle. He used to get so angry when he saw me hurt, but hid it well and looked so sad when I told him I just tripped, even though I hadn't. Every once and a while he'd sneak me out of the castle, along with Riku, and just take us away for a little while. He'd let Riku and I watch him train with the other men in the village, and had told me what the basic's to using a sword were. Any time he could sneak away, he'd come play with me or spend time with me in the library, and he was always on my side. He used to get on my mother's case about calling me a monster, but he hid his true feelings about me in front of the people because he was worried Tadao was up to something and didn't want the valley to look weak – it was a valley in the mountains, so if someone attacked, we'd be in trouble.

The knocking on my front door caught my attention and I got off the bed, wiping my eyes as I walked through the apartment and opened the front door. Ashita was standing there, which must have meant he finished his mission. He'd left only two days ago, so I don't know what his mission was, but it couldn't have been that dangerous. He looked fine to me.

"Hey, what took you so long to answer?" He asked as I let him in.

"I was sleeping." I said as I shut the door.

"Well, it's good you can sleep better now." He said as he sat down at the small table. Obviously, there was some reason he was staying, not that I minded. "Feel rested?"

"Not really, it was a weird kind of sleep." I said as I went to the kitchen. "Want some tea?"

"Sure, whatever you've got is fine with me." He said, his arm slung over the chair, and I smiled.

"Well, I'm well aware of that. You don't really have any quarrels as to what you eat or drink." I said and he chuckled.

"Yes, unlike you who doesn't like things like potato chips or ramen, though you can't stand ramen, while potato chips you just don't eat, and you only like a couple of sweet foods." He said and I smiled to myself as I started to make the tea. "I still remember how Naruto reacted two days after we fought Tamaki, when we ran into him and the ramen conversation started."

Yeah, that was one hell of a funny argument.

 ** _Flashback_**

 _Ashita and I were walking down the street, since we were going to lunch because Ashita had insisted, and we ran straight into Naruto, Sakura and the guy I'd heard was called Sai. Ashita was still limping a little beside me, and I'd removed the bandage from my shoulder earlier._

 _"_ _Hey Sakura." I said as we got to them, since Sakura and I were kind of friends now._

 _"_ _Naria, I heard about what happened in Suna and what happened two days ago from Lady Tsunade. How are you doing?" Sakura said and I shrugged, since I was practically fine._

 _"_ _I'm alright, I recovered fully from what happened in Suna and I was only slightly injured in the fight against Tamaki. I only have a scar now. Perks of being able to heal yourself and having fast healing abilities." I said, before looking at Naruto. "I heard some of what happened on your mission baka, I'm sorry it didn't go the way you hoped it would. I know how important it was, especially to you."_

 _"_ _I'll get Sasuke back, no matter what." He said, determined, but then he seemed to realize what I called him and glared at me. "Will you stop calling me baka?" He exploded._

 _I smiled at that. "But you give the funniest reaction when I do." I said in a teasing manner, which I think Ashita seemed to pick up on and made Naruto look at me with slight surprise, though it was covered mostly by annoyance._

 _"_ _Who are you?" Sai asked, looking at me._

 _"_ _Yukina Naria, and you're Sai right." I said and he nodded. "Nice to meet you. This is Kazuma Ashita, my sensei."_

 _"_ _He's staring at that woman." Sai said and I looked to the side to see him following a woman that was walking with his eyes, causing me to sigh and then hit him across the back of the head, causing his head to snap forward._

 _"_ _Don't perv when I'm standing right here." I scolded, which made him shrug._

 _"_ _Well, we were supposed to be going to lunch, so I'm just distracting myself from how hungry I am." He said and I shook my head. How was he older than me?_

 _"_ _Are girls and food really all you think about?" I asked and he seemed thoughtful for a moment – he even raised his hand to his chin – before he eventually shrugged. "You're ridiculous."_

 _"_ _You two should eat at_ _Ichiraku's, they sell the best ramen in Konoha." Naruto said and I shook my head._

 _"_ _Ashita already made me try the ramen there and I didn't like it to be honest, so no ramen for me thanks. We're already heading to that BBQ place that Asuma's team likes so much anyway." I said, not expecting how Naruto would react to that._

 _"_ _How can you not like ramen, it's the best food ever invented?!" Naruto demanded and I just looked at him._

 _"_ _I just don't like it. Not everyone has the same taste's in food. I can eat it, but prefer not to." I said and he seemed not to believe what I was saying._

 _"_ _But it's the best!" Naruto protested._

 _"_ _Well, I don't like it, so that's that." I said and I saw he was going to say something, but I didn't let him. "Ashita and I are going to get lunch now, so we'll see you guys another time."_

 ** _Flashback End_**

I hadn't seen Naruto since then, but he had started training with Kakashi, until he'd been sent on a mission. He was back now apparently, but I didn't want to know what had been happening, because it was confusing. All I know is that some arrogant guy had come back with them, which I'd learnt when I'd run into Kiba and Akamaru. I'd meet team Kurenai a while back, so I was familiar with and knew all the members by name.

"Yeah, he seemed to be quite shocked I didn't like the food he's obsessed with, but I prefer fruit, veg and meat. It's not like I full on hated it, I just didn't like it that much." I said as I walked over to the table, placing down the green tea. "Now, what is it you wanted to talk to me about? You usually don't drop past out of the blue." I asked as I sat down.

"Nothing gets past you, does it." He said and I shrugged, since I couldn't deny that. I was naturally observant. "I thought I'd come by and see if you'd learnt anything about, well, you know what about. I'm the only one who can drop past and check in on you, since the Hokage is busy and Kakashi's on a mission – no one else knows about you – well, no one here."

"Actually, I was talking with Demiyah, the being inside me, just before you came. That's the real reason it took me so long to answer the door." I said and his eyes widened.

"I wasn't expecting you to tell me that." He said, which I wasn't surprised by since we hadn't learnt anything when we'd tried. "What you'd learn?"

"A lot." I said, before taking a drink of my tea. "Her name is Demiyah and she's a wolf demon – at least she said I could call her a demon – and a being of light. She's one of two wolf beings, the other called Kaage, who is a being of darkness. Apparently, the only people that knew about them are the guardians, though I don't know exactly who those people are, other than the fact that they sealed her inside me."

"Did Demiyah tell you why they sealed her inside you?" He asked, taking this surprisingly well, and I nodded.

"Apparently, there was a battle and Demiyah was injured – sealing her in me was obviously the only choice they had, because they want her alive – apparently, unlike the tailed beasts, they can be killed. They chose me because I was born that day, meaning Kaage was probably placed in a child born on the same day as me too, or close to that." I explained, relaying everything Demiyah had told me. "Chances are, he's permanently sealed away too, like Demiyah is in me. Demiyah's blood-line is linked to mine, and we can't be split up now."

"Kami-sama, that's a lot to learn." He said and I nodded. Yeah, my head was still trying to accept it all. I also had to deal with the returned memories of my father. "Well, if your blood-lines are linked, then it explains why you have a Kekkei Genkai and dōjutsu." He said.

"It also explains why my senses are more animal like, why my hair is white and why I can you the light release. Also, my dōjutsu is called the Miragan and it gives me a better view, as well as making my eyes three times as strong and allowing me to mirror my opponents moves, as long as it's hand to hand or with weapons. I can see a lot more than I normally could, and Genjutsu will never work on me as my eyes reflect it." I explained. "I'm still not sure where she came from, but I don't even think she knows."

That's when the thunder started and I got out of my seat, going over to the window. It was already dark out, but since it was night, that's not surprising. Still, that flash of lightning came out of nowhere. Was there a thunderstorm coming?

"A flash of thunder and lightning, that sure came out of nowhere." Ashita said as he came up behind me and that's when I looked harder, and I swear I saw Naruto chasing someone across the rooftops. All I saw was a blur of yellow and orange, so I was sure it was him.

"Naruto's chasing someone." I said and I saw Ashita come closer to the window, looking out of it. I didn't know why, but I didn't feel good. Something was wrong. "I have a bad feeling. Something feels wrong." I said and I felt Ashita's eyes on me.

I kept watching out the window, and that's when the power suddenly went out in my apartment, and not only my apartment, but all over the village like a chain reaction. Okay, bad feeling confirmed.

"I don't like the looks of this." Ashita said and I nodded in agreement. "I need to go see the Hokage, right now."

"Tell me what you find out, then I can help in any way that I can." I said and he nodded, before opening my window and jumping out.

If this power outage wasn't an accident, then chances are it was on purpose and the village could be about to be attacked. As an off-duty team leader, Ashita had to meet with the Hokage, as the field manual said. Ashita had gotten me to read it. If that was true, then those in my generation would have to stand by in area three – if I was a kunoichi of the village, I'd do the same, but I wasn't. I'd be called out as a medic though.

* * *

 **So, this chapter ends at the end of episode 64 of Naruto Shippuden, so be warned, the next chapter will have spoilers from chapter 65 to 71, which is what I've watched of the anime so far, at least when I'm write this. By the time I upload this, I will have watched more, as I really want to watch more.**

 **I wrote this authors note when I wrote this chapter, and I'm now further into the anime. Still, I'm gonna leave it as it.**


	23. Chapter 21

**Okay, so as I said from in the last chapter, this is from episode 65 to 71. I can tell you right now, I wrote some of the dialog from episodes and it was not fun, especially Sora's father Kazuma's dialog – man that guy can talk. Also, yes, I know what happens next in Shippuden and I'm not really looking forward to watching it, but I have to.**

 **I have watched more now. Also, I've been considering the name of Naria's Dojutsu. I like the name Miragan, as it stands for 'mirror' from what I know, but I also kinda wanted to call it Myogan, as according to my search Myo means 'three times as strong' and her eyes are that too. Now, no idea if that's right, but I'm torn between the name. Not sure if I'll change it in the end or not, as I do like my first name. Anyway, on to the chapter.**

* * *

Chapter Twenty-one: **Naria's Pov**

I stood on a roof that was closest to the main gate, Ashita up on top of the gate with the others. He'd come and gotten me when he'd been called out, and I'd followed him with my medical supplies – he hadn't asked me to, but I was a medical ninja and if there was something I could do to help, I was going to do it – I lived here too after all. I was staying on a roof top though, instead of at the front gate. If this turns into a fight I'd be joining the medical core, but if I was close to the battle I could grab anyone who was injured and help them.

Right now, I had a very bad feeling and kept my eyes on the gate, while listening in to what the people on the gate were saying. I could hear them, but it was hard – at least now I knew why I was so good at hearing things.

 ** _"_** ** _You're welcome, though sometimes having advanced hearing is a pain. Good thing is though, unlike me, you have to focus really hard to hear further away."_** Demiyah's voice spoke inside my head. I didn't need to know that really, as I had worked out that I needed to focus to hear a while ago, but I was kinda glad she told me.

"What is it?" I barely heard one of the men standing on top of the front gate say.

"I thought… it was like the forest moved just now." Another replied, and I didn't like the sound of that. Suddenly, a large flock of birds came from the forest, making a lot of noise as they flew away from whatever it was that disturbed them, while a noise like an earthquake started.

That's when I heard the sound of earth breaking and fighting beyond the gate, and I could sense four strong chakras' closing in on the village from that direction. It had started, the village really was under attack.

I wanted to go help, but I was ordered to remain here. I could only start helping when people started getting injured. It was frustrating, staying still when you knew you could be of help by going out there and fighting, but I was going to listen and do what I was told.

"Move out, keep them away from the main gate!" A man shouted from the top of the main gate and so many shinobi headed out past the main gate.

It didn't seem to matter what order was shouted, the enemy got closer and closer to the main gate with every minute. Whoever these people were, they were strong – I wonder if this had something to do with the missions Team Asuma and Team Kakashi went on recently.

Suddenly, a rumbling that shook the house I was on started and I watched in shock as a tower started to rise just outside the main gate, only to be followed by three more, two rising in front of the other gates, while I'm not sure what was in front of the last tower. I felt a burst of energy come from the four towers, and suddenly a dome appeared around the village, like a cage. It was a defence barrier, these people had created a defence barrier, but why?

Suddenly a bright light appeared in front of the gates and Ashita jumped down with the rest, waiting to see what it was. That is when someone, obviously from inside the bright light, started speaking.

"We are four individuals, made one by a common resolve to pursue the cause of the land of fire. It is this indomitable resolve that has brought us here; lend us your ears for but a brief moment, for there is not much to say. We have only one purpose: the greater glory of the land of fire with the feudal lord supreme." The male voice said in the light, before the light disappeared and I saw four people standing there in cloaks and large woven hats. "The existence of the Hokage and this village poses a lasting threat to the supremacy of the land of fires Feudal Lord. There can only be one true king." – pause – "Don't you understand, there is no longer any reason for this Hokage of yours to exist!"

I don't know who this guy was, but he obviously believed wholly in what he was saying and seemed angered that no one else did. I was not liking where this was going, because I'd met people who had beliefs like this before and they had a dangerous way of achieving what they wanted.

"We didn't expect your approval, never the less, you will help us achieve our purpose, even when you're no longer alive." The cloaked man continued and now I braced myself on the roof, because I did not like the sound of that one bit. Especially since they'd gotten through a defence barrier – I'd read about defence barriers and there was supposed to be no way to get in or out of one, meaning they must be using a jutsu of some kind.

I could hear the talking that was coming from the shinobi of this village, and I understood the plan. They had to try and hold them here until reinforcements arrived so they could keep these people away from the Hokage, but whether or not they could had yet to be seen. One thing was for sure though: I was staying right here on the front line.

I watched as one of the four jumped forwards, only to land on the ground and the ground to explode, sending a giant pile of earth towards those on the ground and me. I quickly started moving back, away from the gate as it started to crush the building I had been on.

I landed on the ground, not too far away, and watched as bodies started to come out of the earth, and these bodies weren't alive. The dead had been brought back to fight us, which made me cover my mouth in shook. I'd seen horrible things, but killing people and then using the dead to fight your battles was deplorable.

As more and more appeared, I saw Lee, Kiba, Akamaru, Chōji and Ino arrive, and they didn't seem to understand what was going on either.

That's when the dead started attacking us and I had no other choice but to fight back. They seemed to just burst into dirt when I hit them, but that didn't mean that this was going to be easy.

 **\- Line Breaker –**

I ran back to the main gate, having just safely taken an injured shinobi to the medical core, and took down five of the dead as I ran, watching as they disappeared. There seemed to be no end to these things, and I doubted there would be until the person responsible for this jutsu was taken down. The fighting wasn't happening just here though, there were fights happening throughout the village as well; I could hear them. If this kept up though, the village was going to be buried in these things.

"Naria!" Ashita shouted, carrying an injured shinobi over to me. "Take him to the medical core, and this time stay there. They're going to need your help now more than ever."

I nodded and took the man from him, placing his arm over my shoulder as I supported his weight with ease. "Just stay alive." I said, before I took off in the direction of the medical core. If this kept up much longer, the death toll would start to rise. We already had more wounded then we could handle.

I arrived at the medical core and placed the man down, before kneeling beside him and using my medical Ninjutsu. I could see Ino not too far away from me and she had the same look I probably did on my face.

That's when I saw Shikamaru arrive and stand in front of Ino.

"So, what's the situation Ino?" Shikamaru asked and I could see the relief on Ino's face.

"Shikamaru." After I heard that, I focused more on healing the man in front of me. Whatever they did next, it would be solely up to them because I was needed here. We already didn't have enough people to heal all the wounded, so I couldn't leave now.

Not long after Ino and Shikamaru left, I saw the defence barrier go down, much to the relief of the ninja around me, but that didn't mean that this was over yet. Even if they stopped the one who was making the dead rise, there would still be two more to deal with – this wouldn't be over until all of them were taken out.

It wasn't till a while later, when I was still helping with the wounded, that I felt a strange energy erupt. It felt like the feeling I got from Naruto, which would make it the nine-tails chakra, but this wasn't coming from Naruto, I was sure of that; this was coming from someone else. I could see a beam of red chakra in the distance and it worried me. Just what the hell was happening now?!

 **\- Line Breaker –**

I slumped against the hospital wall, letting out a tired sigh. Not an hour ago, we'd gotten told that the enemy had been dealt with and the attack on the village was over. The medical core, which included myself, had given a sigh of relief and then had moved all the seriously injured shinobi to the hospital where they could all be properly taken care of.

Still, there was unanswered questions in my head. After that first nine-tails chakra had appeared, a second one had appeared later on and I was able to tell that it belonged to Naruto, so who did the first one belong to exactly? Was it that boy Sora, the one that had come to the village with team Kakashi? If so, how did he also have nine-tails chakra inside him? I had thought my life was weird, but it was a whole lot weirder now.

I had seen Sora and Naruto come into the hospital only a short time ago, so I was beginning to think that my theory was in fact correct, but that still left unanswered questions. I didn't really need to know the answers though, because I had enough going through my head as it was.

 ** _"_** ** _You're not wrong Naria, Sora is the one the chakra you felt came from – I could tell. It was just chakra though, that's all that's within him."_** Demiyah said within my head and I have to tell you, it was weird, but not the weirdest thing I'd heard or seen today.

 _"_ _Is that even possible?"_ I thought, since I wasn't going to say it out loud and look like a freak that talked to herself.

 ** _"_** ** _I think anything is possible in this world Naria, though it shouldn't have been done. Putting tailed beast chakra without the tailed beast is very dangerous."_** Demiyah said and I sighed, resting my head on my knees. Kami-sama, I had a massive headache.

I suddenly sensed familiar chakra and I looked up to see Ashita walking towards me, seeming uninjured but exhausted.

"Well, it's good to see that you look unharmed." I said from where I was sitting and he sat down beside me, though in a chair, not on the floor, and slumped forward.

"That was one hell of a weird fight." Ashita said and I nodded in agreement. "What are you doing here?"

"I helped move all the seriously injured here. This hospital's going to be full for a while, which is depressing, but it's a part of battles. At least these people are alive and not dead." I said and I could feel Ashita's eyes on me. "You must be exhausted sensei, I mean you did just come back from a mission earlier today."

"I am, but I honestly think we all are." Ashita said and I said nothing to that. Instead, I slowly got up off the floor.

"You should go home and get some sleep sensei. There's a lot of repairs to be made, but that's not up to us to do." I said as I started to walk off.

"Naria, you sure you're going to be okay. You learnt a lot today and then helped defend the village and heal the wounded." He said and I turned to look at him, nodding.

"I'll be fine, because I also remembered something good today." I said and I saw confusion on Ashita's face. "I remembered my father loved me and remembered all the good times I had with him."

With that I left him alone, hoping he'd go home and get some rest: yes, I was worried about him. Today was the first day that I was truly happy to learn something new, but it also happened to be a day that the village was attacked. I wasn't sure how I was supposed to feel about all of this, but I couldn't help but feel the happiness of learning my father loved me. Unfortunately, it was also something that made my heart hurt, because he was dead and I still wasn't sure what happened that night. I was sure it had to do with Genjutsu, which made me feel like crap that Riku had been forced to kill him. I mean, thinking about it now, Riku didn't hit our father's heart, but he would have bleed to death.


	24. Chapter 22

_Chapter Twenty-two:_ **Naria's Pov**

I stood in my kitchen grinding medicinal herbs, listening to the repairs already happening around the village. Everything had only happened the day before yesterday and I was still processing a lot of it, mainly everything that I had learnt from Demiyah, but I was getting there mentally. It was a lot to learn in one day, especially when the village is also attacked on the same day. That's why I was staying home today and relaxing, especially since I was in the hospital most of the day yesterday treating injured patients.

I continued making the medicine I was making, which was just one of the many medicine's and antidotes I was currently stocking up on. I'd collected most of what I needed to make them on my way back from my mission in the sand, but only got the rest a couple days ago, so today seemed to perfect day to get to work. So far, I'd made a salve that relieved pain when placed on cuts and bruises, a salve for burns and a salve to fight infection. I also made a bottle of pain medicine, one with a slightly less disorientating affect, and something to bring down a fever. I liked bring prepared, and it helped having a little of each thing in my pack, just in case.

I finished making the medicine I was working on, which was what you could class as a medicinal tea – it was made to relieve pain, back pain in this case. I placed it into a jar that would keep it dry, which is when there was a knock on my door.

I left the jar on the bench and went over to my front door, opening it to find my old land lady standing there with a small basket of tomato's, spring onions and cabbage in her hands.

"I'm glad you're home. These were fresh in my garden this morning and I thought you might like some. There's too much for an old lady like myself to eat and it was your suggestion that helped them grow. Also, I know you enjoy eating vegetables." She said and I smiled back. She was a really kind land lady, who was old and I think lonely – she'd never had a problem with Mononoke and me, despite my attitude before.

"Thank you, I'll make sure I make something good with them." I said as I took them from her and her eyes wrinkled as she smiled. "I actually have something for you too. I'll be back in a second."

I walked back into the kitchen and placed the basket down, before I grabbed the jar of medicinal tea and walked back to the front door, where she was still waiting.

"This is a medicinal tea, it'll relieve some of your back pain. The way to make it is taped to the bottom of that jar, so if I'm not here, an herbalist can make it. Just mix a teaspoon of it with boiling water." I explained to her as I handed it to her. "It's a thank you for letting Mononoke stay here and for dealing with the attitude I had."

"Well thank you dear, this is exactly what I need. I'm surprised you noticed though; I thought I was hiding it well." She said and I chuckled a little.

"Well, I am a medical ninja, so I'm trained to spot that sort of thing. Plus, I've always been observant." I said and she smiled at me.

"Well then, I'll let you get back to what you were doing and I'll go make myself some tea." She said and I nodded, smiling lightly as I watched her leave.

I shut my front door and went back over to my kitchen bench to clean up. I'd made pretty much all the medicine that I needed to make, and I'd made some food pills that help recover energy. I made it for Ashita mostly, as I did pretty well without this sort of thing.

I moved around my kitchen, putting jars of herbs away in the cupboards, along with other ingredients, and cleaning the equipment and utensils I'd used – I liked being tidy. I stood there at my sink, washing them one by one, when suddenly there was another knock at my door. I switched the water off and dried my hands on a towel as I walked over to my door.

I had no idea who it could be this time, as it wasn't Ashita. I was sure he was still sleeping, or still at home – he'd probably been at home resting since I'd told him to go home, most likely sleeping most of the time. "Hello." I said as I opened the door slowly.

Once the door was open, I froze in shock as I looked up at the man that was standing in front of me, who was nervous and had a large pack hanging over his shoulder. I looked up at his not too short black hair, his neatly trimmed black beard and moustache, his kind but nervous dark brown eyes and a scar he'd never had before that was under his left eye. He was older than the last time I'd seen him, but it was definitely him – even the sword at his side was his. What the hell was going on?!

"Father?" I said after a moment, shock evident in my voice. I hadn't even wanted to say the word, but, how couldn't I? What else could I call him?

He smiled kindly down at me. "Hello sweetheart." He said and then he sighed, still seeming nervous as he ran a hand through his hair. "I'm surprised you believe that it's me. I thought, no matter what you thought, you'd hit me when you saw me because of what happened. I was bracing myself for it actually."

"I'm pretty good at working out transformation jutsu's most of the time, plus, you are considered dead so someone would have to be absolutely stupid to transform into you to try and trick me. Also, I remembered that Riku didn't hit you in the heart that night. I've thought you dead since then, but seeing you here proves you survived somehow. Plus, if you were here to hurt me, I doubt you'd knock." I said and I knew he didn't know what to say to me. "You can come in if you want, I don't bite." The irony of that sentence nearly made me laugh.

I stepped back and he walked into my apartment slowly, smiling a little while I shut the door. This was such a weird day, though the day before yesterday was weirder, and yesterday was just hectic. Could I please have a normal day sometime soon?

I walked over to the table and motioned for him to sit down as I did. "How did you survive exactly, because I'm pretty sure Tadao was somehow involved in what happened that night, meaning he wanted you dead?"

My father sat down, placing his pack down, and sighed. "One of the medical officers in the castle found me after you two ran off and they got me to safety, saving me with Masato's help after Tadao had left and thought I was killed. It took me a while to recover, but once I woke up, I was informed of what happened by Masato. I barely remember what I did that night because of the Genjutsu and whatever else I was under, but I know I tried to hurt you and I know that I killed Ayana. I wanted to return, I tried to even though I was still hurt, but Masato refused to let me because Tadao would bend my return to his will. He told me that Tadao had already locked you away and that Riku was gone, and that you were being blamed for everything, which made me hate myself."

"That's a blunt way of saying you tried to kill me." I said and he flinched in his seat, which made me sigh. "I'm not gonna' lie father, I've hated you for more years than I want to count, and if you had turned up a few weeks ago, I don't know what I would've done – I probably would've hit you if I'm being honest, and my hits hurt. I only remembered that you loved me two days ago, and it's because of what's inside me that I did."

He didn't seem to know what to say now. "This all happened because of me." Was what he came out with and I shook my head.

"No, it didn't." I said and now he seemed surprised. He probably thought that I hated him, which I had once, but things were different now. "This all happened because your brother is a maniac who is willing to do these things. The only reason you didn't show how much you loved me outside of the castle was because you were worried about what he'd do, and who knows what he would have done if he couldn't pin it on me. Yes, he did horrible things to me, but I'm not going to hold it against you. Masato was right to tell you to stay away; Tadao would have done something and it would have been bad. I mean look at what he already did; his involvement led to Ayana's death and nearly mine, which I'm not blaming you for because it wasn't you."

"You've changed a lot. You're stronger now, and I don't see the same fear in your eyes as I saw back then, or the confusion, but I do see more pain and less happiness." He said and I shrugged, since he should have expected that.

"Ten years will do that, especially since I was just a child when you last saw me and I was alone for a long time." I said and then I heard his stomach growl, which made me see my father embarrassed for the first time and me to laugh. "Why don't I cook us lunch and we can talk? You obviously want to, or you wouldn't have hunted me down."

"You can cook?" He asked, seeming surprised, and I let out a small laugh at that as I got out of my seat, shaking my head.

"I grew up on my own in the forest for a long time, mainly because I was first turned away from villages and was too afraid to go to any large ones because of what I am. When you live like that for so long, you kinda have to learn how to cook and survive or else. I'm better at it now then I was back then, but that's not surprising. I have books now." I said as I went over to the bench.

"Is that what you normally wear?" He asked me from his seat, which he turned to face me.

I looked down at my black shorts and light blue shirt. "No, normally I'm in my ninja gear, but I wear this when I'm home or walking around the streets on days when I don't plan to train." I said, surprised by what he was asking me, but then again, he hadn't seen me in close to ten years. He wore different clothes now to – he was wearing black pants, a black shirt and a brown jacket.

"You're a ninja?" He asked and I nodded as I started cutting some of the tomato's up.

"Yeah, but not an official ninja of this village. It's more like I help out when I need to – I work at the hospital too, as a medical ninja, not that that should be too much of a surprise to you." I said, before looking at him and seeing that he was smiling slightly. "But enough about me. How did you find me?"

"How about you finish making lunch and then I'll explain everything, since I can guarantee you're not going like it." My father said and I had this bad feeling in my stomach about what exactly he was going to say. "Also, if you don't mind, I'd rather you call me Dad from now on, if you're okay with it. I'm not a lord anymore, I'm just a parent who hasn't seen his kids in ten years and wants to be with them again and get to know them. I never liked being called "Father" in the first place, but Ayana was persistent and annoyed the hell out of me by making you call me that – I know I was a lord, or the "Peoples king" as some called me, but my kids shouldn't have had to be so formal with me at home."

I stood there for a moment, thinking about it, then turned and nodded. "Okay, Dad."

I watched as he smiled at me and I then turned back to working on lunch. It was good to hear that my mother annoyed him too. I knew that they got into fights a lot when I was growing up, mainly about me which made me feel bad at times, but only because I didn't want Dad to get stressed out even more, but they also fought about other things. Also, I knew that their marriage was arranged and hadn't been something my father wanted to agree to, since he wanted to marry for love, but I never knew just how against her he was.

 **\- Line Breaker –**

I sat across the table from my father, eating lunch with him, and that's when I decided enough was enough. "Okay Dad, what's going on? You managed to track me down, even though nearly everyone in the valley thinks I'm dead, so I know it has to be more than you just wanting to see me again."

He sighed. "It actually wasn't that hard. I got your location from one of the assassins who was after you, I then stunk into the castle to get my swords and something else with the help of Masato, which is when I learnt from him that Ayame fled the castle a few weeks ago." He explained and I was shocked to hear that. Wait, what?

"Wait, Ayame isn't at the castle anymore?" I demanded and he nodded. "What the hell is Nobu doing as the lord, or the people's king or whatever the hell you want to call him?! It's bad enough Tadao's been sending assassins after me for years and it hasn't been stopped, now Ayame's fled the village too."

"Masato told me that Tadao's been sending assassins to find Riku too, ever since he left the village. He's determined to kill the two of you." Dad told me and I now I so wanted to hit something, I was so mad. What was that man trying to achieve, other than killing us that is? "And Nobu isn't the lord of the valley of dreams." He added solemnly.

Wait, what? That took me aback. "But he's the right age to be…" I started, but then I realized just what he was getting at, which made me stand up in a hurry and slam my hands against the table. Oh, hell no! "Are you serious?! Please, tell me Nobu didn't make that basted the lord of the valley of dreams!" The look on his face said everything. "Well, I guess I know which parent he takes after now. He's either naïve or his brain doesn't work right; either way, he's just like Ayana." I said as I stepped away from the table and Dad stood up too, coming over to me.

"I can agree with that." Dad said, before he sighed. "Anyway, this is why I waited until now to tell you. I figured you'd react this way, though I wasn't certain." He said and I looked at him.

"Of course, I'm gonna' act this way. Tadao has been sending assassins after me for years and I've never understood why he couldn't just leave me alone – why the hell would I want to go back home after _he tried to kill me_? Now, I find out that he's been sending assassins after Riku as well and that Ayame ran away. I mean, that means that Riku's alive, which I've wanted to know for years, but that doesn't tell me what Tadao wants." I rambled, because what else was I supposed to say. I took a deep breath, calming myself down, before looking at him. "Do you know what he wants?"

"Our family dead. He wants to be the only Yukina left." Dad said and I felt like saying "Well nah dah" since that was pretty damn obvious, but I didn't. "If you didn't know, your great-grandfather Osamu created quite a few jutsu's a long time ago."

"Of course, I knew that, you're the one who told me. I've managed to master one of them: sitari. I'm now trying to create the wind sitari, though it's taking a while, not that I've been at it long." I told him and he smiled down at me.

"So, I guess you found what I left you." He said and I nodded. "Well, he created more than that, but he hid the scrolls away after his second born son Jirou went mad with his desire for power and killed his youngest son Shouta. Jirou was killed by my father Isamu in the end, but Osamu decided it was best to seal them away in his grief. Tadao's now wants to find the location of the scrolls, and he wants no one standing in his way. He wants power." He explained in detail and I walked over to the couch, leaving the rest of my lunch and sitting down. Dad came and sat beside me.

"So, this isn't the first time the second son in our family has gone nuts and decided to kill the people they're related to. Your uncle did it, your brother's done it and is still trying to since he failed the first time, instead getting my mother killed, and who the hell knows what Nobu is thinking, the dumbass. If he wasn't threated to do it, then he's an idiot and I'm gonna kick his ass." I said and he sighed.

"Our family is messed up, isn't it? One day I'll have to show you our family tree so you understand more. Not all our family is bad." He said and I looked down at my hands. Our family really was messed up, but it was our family.

"You're right, our family is messed up, but they're still our family." I said and I felt him look at me. "I'm not saying we help Nobu and Tadao, because Tadao can go to hell and I'll only help Nobu depending on what he's actually thinking, but Riku and Ayame are my brother and sister and your children, despite everything. If Tadao really is dead set on killing us, then we need to end this now before he can, but we need to find them first. I can't stand back and risk anything happening to them now I know they're in danger."

He sighed. "That's one of the reasons why I came to find you first. After everything that's happened, I wouldn't have blamed you if you kicked me right out of the building. I know the valley is probably the last place you want to go back to." He said to me and now it was my turn to sigh.

"Dad, no matter how much I hate what happened to me there, I doubt that Tadao is treating the people well, and I won't let him kill us. I'm sure he's behind what happened with you and my mother that night." I said, because I was sure of it. It's something he would do, but I'm not sure just how influenced my mother had to be. "The people might have treated me badly at times because they feared what was inside me, but that was because of ignorance and human nature; it doesn't mean they should be hurt or die and I don't hate them for it. No matter what happened, that place was once my home."

Dad turned to me fully and raised up his hand, touching my check. "You have grown into a strong willed, smart, strong minded girl. All I wanted was for you to grow up strong and kind, but not this way. I wish I didn't see so much pain in your eyes." He said and I raised my hand to touch his. "What happened to you sweetheart?"

"I'm not sure you entirely want to know that Dad." I said, but I saw the determination in his eyes. "Alright then, cliff notes version: I was locked in my room for a year, alone and unheard, before Tadao dragged me away from the castle and tried to kill me. Demiyah saved me, she's the wolf demon inside me and I only learnt her name two days ago, and I stayed alone in the forest for nine months. I was then caught by someone and tortured because he wanted to train children to kill the Kage, but Demiyah got me out and I killed him recently too. I was then found by Kakashi, a ninja here, and he trained me a bit. I then stayed in the forest with an old friend of his, who also tried to kill me in the end. I stayed in the forest until recently, being hunted by assassins. It was only recently that I started trying to drop the walls I'd built and stop acting so cold to people, but that's thanks to the Kazekage and my sensei. Basically, it's better you found me now and not a couple of months ago."

My father's hand dropped and I could see the shock and pure horror on his face as he processed what I had said. "I did say you were not going to like it, didn't I? That's why I don't often tell people about it. That past isn't gonna change, which is something I learnt recently, so I've got to stop living in it and move forward, or I'll never be happy." I said, since I knew he wouldn't like it. He was my father after all.

He placed his head in one of his hands, head facing down with his eyes shut. "I am such a failure as a father." He said.

My reply was smacking him across the back of the head, making him jerk back up and look at me in surprise. "Would you stop acting so stupid! Don't you think that if I blamed you, I would've said so already! You didn't fail as a father; you were an amazing father up until what happened. The only person who holds any guilt for this is Tadao, and the only bad parent I had was Ayana. My own mother tormented me for years, making me doubt myself, but all you did was be there for me and love me. I may have forgotten that for years, but I remember it now. Also, despite all the years that have passed, you came looking for me, so stop blaming yourself." I said, shouting the first two parts. I didn't see myself getting through to him any other way.

He sighed, before looking at me. "You're really straight forward." He said and I shrugged.

"I don't see a reason not to be; I say what I think… most of the time, and I mean pretty much everything I say unless I'm teasing." I said, before I sighed. "Look Dad, I've been holding onto my past for so long and all it's done is make me miserable – the same applies to holding onto hate. I'm only just realizing who I am without my past looming over me and who I want to be. I've spent so long denying who I am, and it took me meeting Gaara to start letting go of it and moving forward." I explained.

"It's really weird that my daughter is giving me the pep talk and saying things like this to me, when it's supposed to be my job to comfort and guide you." He said, before he looked at me with slightly curious and squinted eyes. "Wait, who's this Gaara?"

I deadpanned. "Are you serious?" I demanded. Really, he was really doing that protective father thing I think father's do when their daughter mentions a guy. "He's the Kazekage Dad. I went to Suna recently to treat some of the ninja in his village and we got to talking after a weird situation I'm not explaining right now."

"Oh, so that's it." He said, looking away from me for a moment, though I think I saw a bit of relief. "That's the boy that has the one-tailed beast inside of him, right? I met his father once when you were about five, but only heard of his son by name. He is the son of the fourth Kazekage, isn't he?"

"Yes, his father was the fourth Kazekage from what I know. And yes, he did have the one-tails in him, but doesn't now." I said and he seemed confused, though I was also confused since I never knew about Dad meeting Gaara's father. "It's a long story. Let's just say it involves a group who wants tailed-beasts and someone resurrecting him." I explained.

"So how long have you known him?" He asked and now I glared at him a little.

"We're not having this conversation Dad." I said and he raised his hands up in surrender, before chuckling.

"Sorry, but it's fun teasing my teenage daughter." He said and I sighed.

"So, this is what having a father is like when you're a teenager." I said and he nodded. "As much as I'm sure you want to continue teasing me, we're going to have to work out what we're going to do, because I have responsibilities here and people I'd have to inform if we're going to leave, and that's going to be a hell of an explanation since people think I'm an orphan."

He nodded. "Well, I know the area Riku is in, but I don't know what village he's in. I also have no idea where Ayame is. I'm hoping she's found Riku, but I can't be sure. She may have went looking for Aya." He said and I groaned.

"Well, if you have anything of hers I can have Mononoke, the wolf who lived me not long ago and is the beast I can summon, track her down. Still, we might be better looking for Riku first and hope she's with him, as I don't particularly want to see the old hag." I said as I crossed my arms, 'cause I didn't not want to see that woman. I'd just hear rudeness from her.

"You really don't like Aya, do you?" He said and I crossed my arms.

"Any particular reason I should like her?" I asked and it was obvious that he had no answer. "The point is: we just have to find Riku and Ayame before they get hurt. It'll be easier to find Riku first since we know what vicinity he's in, and if Ayame's not there, I can have Mononoke track her down, if you have something of hers."

"Unfortunately, I don't." He said and I sighed.

"Well, there's only two places she might go as long as she can, so we should be able to locate her, I hope. We know how to find Riku and I know someone who can tell me where Aya is." I said, since I did know someone, it just meant going back to Suna again. "Saying that, we should probably start looking tomorrow."

"I think that's probably the best option." He said.

"Then you can stay here tonight and you can sleep in my bed if you want. I'll sleep on the couch or on the floor." I said and it was obvious he was going to protest, but I didn't let him. "I've slept in worse places, I did grow up in the forest after all and I am a ninja."

"Fine, fine, I won't argue. I'm beginning to see that it's pointless to argue with you, which is actually somewhat familiar. I didn't let people change my mind when I decided to do something either. My parents used to get so annoyed with me." He said and I smiled lightly. I'd rather be like him than my mother.

"Nice to know. You can go for a shower if you want, there's spare towels in the bathroom." I said, before heading to the front door. "I'm heading out, I have to go talk to the Hokage and my sensei. If I'm anything, it's responsible."

"Alright." He said and I went to leave, before he chuckled. "But, if we can do this, we're celebrating your sixteenth birthday together. It's not that far away now." **(A/N Naria's birthday is May 5** **th** **, I have no idea what dates what in the anime, so I'm just bringing it in)**

"I'm not even gonna argue with you." I said as I slipped on my sandals, before walking out the front door and shutting it behind me. Standing outside of my door I let out a long sigh, leaning against the door for a second. "This is such a strange day." I muttered.


	25. Chapter 23

_Chapter Twenty-three:_ **Naria's Pov**

I stood out front of the Hokage's office, sighing before I knocked on the door. I figured it was better that I come and tell her what was going on first, before I went and woke up Ashita if he was still sleeping. I didn't want to bother her right now, considering what happened, but she'd told me to tell her if I planned to leave the village and I was definitely going to leave the village. I still wasn't entirely sure how I was supposed to take all this, or how I was going to handle reuniting with my entire family, but it was obvious that that was going to happen.

"Come in." I heard a voice call and I walked in to see the Lady Tsunade alone, sitting at her desk. It was rare that I saw her without Shizune with her. "Naria, what is it? I'm surprised to see you here."

I sighed. "Honestly, that's kinda complicated. I didn't want to bother you, considering what happened, but you told me to come to you if I needed to." I said as I walked over to her desk and she leant forward.

"Don't worry about that, just tell me what's going on." She said.

"Well, I guess I better explain in order of events. Before everything happened and the village was attacked, I learnt what's sealed inside of me from the thing itself. And today my… _father…_ turned up at my front door, very much alive." I admitted, still processing everything myself to be honest.

The surprise was obvious on her face, then she sighed. "Why don't you start with what you learnt about the thing inside of you? It'd be a nice distraction for me right now, and it's important that I know." She said and I nodded.

"It turns out that what's inside of me is a wolf demon called Demiyah. She's one of two wolf demons, her being the one of light – I'm not entirely sure how she came to be or why light, but that's no surprise. She doesn't remember much about what happened to land her sealed inside of me and some other memories are jumbled, but she said she used to be sealed away somewhere before this, but was suddenly released at some point before my birth for some unknown reason. Apparently, she was injured badly by something, so the guardians – the people who protected her and Kaage and obviously kept her sealed – sealed her permanently inside of me for safe keeping, I guess." I explained and Tsunade sighed.

"That's a lot to learn and a lot to process, but knowing helps us a lot. But, what exactly do you mean by permanently?" She asked me.

"I mean that her bloodline is linked to mine now. So basically, she dies when I die and if someone tries to remove her, we both die." I explained and she nodded. "It's where my light style kekkei genkai and dōjutsu come from, as well as my white hair."

"So, her being removed from you is not something we have to worry about, is that what you're saying?" Lady Tsunade said and I nodded, since that was true.

"From what I understand, yes. Even if someone tried, they'd just kill us both." I confirmed, though I never wanted someone to try that.

 ** _"_** ** _You are correct, we'd both die. That could try to funnel my chakra from you, but that's it. The one thing I do remember is what will happen to us and how permanent my placement in you was."_** Demiyah said from within me and I decided just not to reply.

"What about these guardians? Where are they? You'd think they'd keep a closer eye on you, considering what they sealed inside of you." Tsunade said and I felt like sighing then, because I could just imagine how much easier my life would've been if I had have known all this earlier.

 ** _"_** ** _They have a hidden village that is between a mountain and a forest. I could easily lead you there, if you ever want to go."_** Demiyah said and I smiled, catching Tsunade's attention.

 _"_ _Arigato Demiyah, it makes explaining easier."_ I thought.

I heard a huff in my mind. **_"I'm only telling you because I don't dislike this human because she gave you a chance. If she was a narrowminded, naïve human, I would've kept quiet. I liked being unknown, it stopped people from thinking they could use me for a while, and I've seen many disgusting humans while inside of you."_** She grumbled and I rolled my eyes.

I looked at Lady Tsunade, who was watching me. "Demiyah said that they have a hidden village hidden between a mountain and a forest, and offered to lead me there if I ever wanted to go."

"Do you want to?" She asked me and I didn't know how to reply to that. I hadn't given it any thought, as I'd just heard about it.

"I'm not really sure what I want to do about it right now." I admitted and I could feel her eyes on me as I looked down.

I heard her seat move and she came over to me as I looked up at her, which is when she placed a hand on my shoulder. "Come outside with me for a moment, and explain what's going on." She said and I nodded. I could think easier when I was outside.

We went outside, to the roof of the Hokage building, and I leant against the railing, breathing in the fresh air.

"You said your father arrived today. I thought he was dead." Tsunade said and I let out a strained laugh.

"Yeah, so did I." I said in a stained voice. "Thanks to Demiyah, I remembered that he did love me, which is good because I probably would've hit him when he arrived if I hadn't remembered. Apparently, things aren't going well in the valley, and my family's in danger."

"How bad are things in the valley of dreams?" Tsunade asked me.

"Well, my second brother handed the title of lord over to Tadao, my sister fled the valley for some unknown reason, though I can probably guess what it was, and Tadao has been sending assassins after Riku too." I explained. "Which is the main reason I came to talk to you: I intend to leave the village tomorrow with my father to go and find them, then take care of this mess before it gets out of control or affects people outside of the village who aren't us."

"Have you thought this through? I'm not saying don't, but I do know everything that happened before because you told me." Tsunade said and I looked at her.

"I fully intend to come back here after this is done, as this is my home now and I like my life here, but they're my family. I can't turn a blind eye when Riku and Ayame are in danger, and I want to see Riku again. Also, no matter how they treated me, nobody in that valley deserves whatever Tadao is doing, and from the sound of it, it's bad." I said, because it was what I'd decided. "And don't worry about me, I'm not going after Tadao in hatred. I'm not letting hatred rule my life anymore, even though I'm pissed. And I'm not going to let what people think of me get to me anymore. I might not be entirely sure about who I am or what I want, but I know enough not to let anyone tell me otherwise."

"Then you should go and save your family. The village isn't going anywhere while you do and I promise I won't reveal the truth about you to those who don't need to know." Tsunade said and I looked at her.

"Thank you, Lady Tsunade. I better go and tell Ashita-sensei, or I'll never hear the end of it when I get back." I said and she nodded.

I walked away from her as Shizune came onto the roof, planning to go and find Ashita.

 **Tsunade's Pov**

"Lady Tsunade, why were you speaking to Naria up here?" Shizune asked once Naria was gone and I turned to look at her.

"She was asking permission to leave the village. She's going to help save her family." I said.

I was quite surprised to hear that she was so willing to go back to her childhood home, but she'd been changing since she arrived here – more so since she met Gaara. It seemed she was finally willing to let go of the past and was slowly becoming the best of herself.

"I'm surprised she's willing to go back. She seemed to hate that place." Shizune said and I nodded.

"She's changed a lot since she arrived in the village, even Kakashi has noticed from brief meetings with her. She isn't angry anymore, and she's letting who she really is show. I'm sure she was just putting walls up before because she was afraid to feel, but she isn't anymore." I said, because it was obvious that she wasn't the person she pretended to be and I quite liked the girl she was becoming. It made me wonder what she would have been like if she'd grown up here from the beginning and trained with everyone else.

"I'm glad. She's a lot more likable person when she's acting like herself." She said. "But how did she learn her family is in danger?"

"Her father came to the village today. She didn't explain how he's alive, but she obviously trusts him." I explained and I saw Shizune was surprised, but that's when I realized that there was something I needed looked into. "Shizune, Naria's learnt the truth about the being inside of her and now that I know its name, what it is and who was protecting it, I want to see if we have any information on it."

"I'll have people look into it immediately. What do we have to look for?" She asked me.

"Demiyah, wolf demon and the guardians. If there's anything about this, those should be the key-words to finding it, but I want this done by people who won't breath a word to anyone else. This is to stay secret for now." I said, as this was something important that needed looking into.

"I'll have it looked into discreetly, but why do you want us to look now that Naria knows?" Shizune asked and now I looked at her directly.

"Because while we might not have known about Demiyah, or her twin being, someone might. Now, while Demiyah can't be removed from Naria and Naria could easily learn the truth from the guardians, she might decide not to go and while that's her choice, there may be something out there that could come after her, which is why I want it looked into." I said, because it was hard to believe that only the guardians knew about Demiyah, and there's still the question as to what happened to Demiyah to land her inside Naria.

"Understood." Shizune said and I left that up to her. I just had to keep this from those people, or I'd never hear the end of it.

 **Naria's Pov**

Okay, I was a bit of an idiot. I was trying to find Ashita, who was obviously at his apartment sleeping or something because I couldn't sense his chakra like normal, which is all well and good… except for the fact that I didn't know where his apartment was. I'd never been there and he'd never told me where it was because he always came to me. Now, if he was awake like a normal person, I'd be able to find him, but I think he was sleeping and it was after midday. So, that is why I was in the middle of a street, not moving, as people walked all around me. Now granted, it could just be me, as my head was mixed up right now.

"I guess I'm gonna have to go back and ask Lady Tsunade." I said and I turned around, planning to head back to the Hokage tower despite not wanting to bother her again, but walked straight into someone as I turned. Damn, my focus was so messed up. "Ah, sorry."

I looked up to see Asuma standing there, not seeming too bothered that I'd walked straight into him. "Don't worry about it. Are you looking for Ashita again?" He asked and I nodded. Not surprised he guessed that, since Ashita was normally who I had to look for.

"Yeah, but not for the same reason as last time. I need to talk to him, but I don't know where his apartment is." I explained.

He let out a laugh. "Yeah, he would still be sleeping knowing him, or at least relaxing." He said, before he sighed. "I'm heading that way, so just follow me there. Probably easier than me explaining it." He said.

"Thank you." I said and he nodded, before he started walked the way I'd been facing before I turned around and walked into him. "Sometimes I wonder how you and Ashita became friends, considering you two seem so different, though I know you have some things in common."

Asuma chuckled. "It's true that he's a flirt, and complains and talks a lot, but we've known each other for years. He's mellowed down over the years considering he was a pain in the ass kid who pulled pranks, and while he can be a bit of an airhead and cocky, he's there for those he cares about and fights for what he believes in." Asuma said and I smiled lightly.

"Well, I'm glad I didn't know him years ago then." I said. "But I get what you mean. My guess is that he changed when his sister died."

He looked at me. "You're not wrong, but he's changed since you got here too. He isn't as angry about it anymore, and I think that's 'cause you showed him how to deal with it." Asuma said and I sighed.

"Honestly, I think he's helped change me more than I helped change him." I admitted, because all of Ashita's persistence had started to chip away at my walls.

Asuma didn't say anything to that, but kept walking. I followed him quietly, looking around the city. This place really was my home now, and I loved living here.

"Here you go." Asuma suddenly said and I looked to the left, seeing the apartment building he was pointing to. "Ashita lives on the second floor, first door on the left once you're up the stairs."

"Thank you, Asuma-sensei." I said and he patted my head.

"You looked down, so I didn't mind." Asuma said before he walked off, leaving me standing there in shock. Normally I was good at hiding when I was down, so no one commented on it, but apparently, I wasn't good at hiding it today.

I sighed and opened the front door of the building, walking in and heading up the stairs. It seemed to be a nice building. I went to Ashita's door and knocked a bit louder than I needed to, but I wanted to be a little louder in case he was enjoying his day off and sleeping.

I heard footsteps and the door opened to reveal a shirtless Ashita, with his hair down. "Naria, what are you doing here?"

"I really need to talk to you." I said and my expression must have shown that I meant it, 'cause he stepped back and motioned for me to come in.

"How did you find out where I lived?" He asked as I took in his slightly messy apartment. It didn't have many personal objects, but I saw three pictures up on a mantle. One must have been him with his parents, one was him with his sister I guess and the last one was only taken last week: It was a picture of him and me, as he said that all of the other sensei had pictures with their students, so he wanted one with his. I had the exact same picture in my apartment, and I was actually smiling in it.

"I ran into Asuma, literally, on the way here. He showed me the way." I said as he motioned for me to sit down, which I did.

"Wouldn't have thought that." He said as he grabbed a shirt and pulled it over his head, before he sat down beside me. "So, what's going on exactly? Demiyah hasn't told you anything else, has she?"

"No, this has nothing to do with Demiyah." I said, before sighing. "My father knocked on my front door today." I said and Ashita's eyes widened.

"Your father?" He asked in shock and I nodded.

"It's a long story, so just listen and don't say anything till the end because I need to tell you this." I said and he nodded, for once not saying anything.

 _\- Line Breaker –_

As I finished explaining to Ashita what was going on and what I was planning on doing, I was impressed. Ashita has stayed quiet and listened to everything I had told him, and I had told him quite a bit.

"You're being incredibly brave, facing all this so suddenly." He said.

"I'm not trying to be brave." I said and he chuckled.

"I know that. You're doing this because it's the right thing to do, but that still makes you brave." He said, before he reached a hand up and ruffled my hair. "Your father and your siblings are lucky to have a daughter and a sister who's willing to let go of her past and help them, and so is your village."

"Huh, yeah well, we have to find them first. I'm really hoping that Ayame is with Riku, as I'd rather not see my grandmother if I can help it." I said, but then I sighed again. "But, I have to do this and I have to face my past. They're my family, and even if it turns out that my brother is as twisted as Tadao, I have to do what I've got to do to save my family and village."

"I get it Naria, I do, and I'm glad you came and told me all of this." He said, before he smiled. "So what time do you think you and your father will leave tomorrow, 'cause I want to come and see you off."

"Well, probably 7:00am, so you don't have to come. We have a lot to do before we can go to the valley of dreams, starting with finding Riku and explaining this all to him. As far as he knows, he killed our father, so this is going to come as a shock to him." I said.

"Are you looking forward to seeing your brother again?" He asked me and I let out a nervous laugh.

"I am, but I'm also kinda terrified. It's been nearly ten years since we saw each other and so much has changed. I'm not his little sister anymore and I don't know what he's like. Who knows what will happen when we see each other again." I said, because it had been on my mind. Things couldn't just go back to how they were before.

"I think that… if he was willing to make you his first priority when he was only a teenager, he's probably wanted to see you again this entire time." Ashita said and I nodded, which is when he patted my head, which made me roll my eyes. "I think it's about time you get back to your father; after all, you two need to catch up too."

"Honestly, I'm beginning to think fighting assassins is easier." I admitted.

Ashita chuckled. "That's because family is always harder, especially when you're not a close family, but once were." He said as we both got up.

"Well, I guess I'll have to get used to it again." I said and he nodded.

"I'm looking forward to seeing that. Hopefully, one day, I can meet your brother." He said and I let out a small laugh at that.

"Well, if he's anything like he was as a kid, he might actually get along with you. Riku was serious and responsible, but he also knew how to be a goofball and have fun, while being kind." I said, because I'd always looked up to my brother and I'd always wanted to be like him, though not as much of a goofball. "I wanted to be like him as a kid, and was like him, but then I put up my walls. I wasn't as much of a goofball though."

"I definitely want to meet him." He said as he opened the front door for me. "Just be careful, okay. I've seen what the assassin's your uncle hires are like and it's obvious he wants you dead."

I smiled at him. "Trust me, I know what I'm getting myself into here, but it's worth it. I have to work out my life, and this is part of it, because they're my family. I can handle this and I can handle my uncle." I said and he ruffled my hair, causing me to roll my eyes at him.

"Good to know. I'll see you tomorrow." He said and I nodded, before I walked out of his apartment. I needed to get home and talk to my father a little more.

 _\- Line breaker –_

As I walked in my front door I was surprised to see my father at my stove, cooking. It was weird, seeing him cook something.

"You're cooking?" I asked in shock as I sat down, taking off my sandals near the front door, where Dad's now were.

"You sound surprised by that." He said as he looked over at me and I laughed as I got up.

"Well, no offense, but growing up neither you nor Mom cooked, ever. I doubt you ever cooked once while you grew up in the valley of dreams considering you were the prince, then the lord. Everything was always cooked for us, and done for us." I said seriously and he chuckled lightly.

"Okay, okay, I know." He said, raising his hands. "Honestly, I learnt after everything that happened, when I was living in a small village. A kind woman there taught me, though I can guarantee I'm not as good as you."

I looked at him, surprised. "What is this woman's name?" I asked and he looked at me, a small smile on his lips.

"Her name is Mei." He said and I raised my eyebrow. "Don't give me that look, there's nothing between us."

"Dad, I might have shut my emotions off for years, but I'm not stupid." I said in earnest, because even I saw the look in his eyes.

He sighed. "Look, I do care about her, but things aren't that simple. I've been married before and I have you children, she understands that." He explained as he turned off the stove and I just looked at him.

I went over to him and placed my hand on his shoulder, getting him to look at me. "Dad, I can't speak for all of us, but you deserve to be happy."

"I will be happy once I see all my children, and I'm happy now being with you." He said.

"That's not what I'm saying." I said. "Yes, you and Ayana were married, but it was a loveless marriage Dad. I know that you two found a way to get along and respected each other before I was born, but after I was born, all you two did was argue. You deserve to be with a woman you want to be with Dad, not a woman you were told you had to marry. Obviously, I want to meet her before I totally agree, and you'll have to talk to Riku and Ayame, but I want you to be happy Dad. We all deserve to be happy. We all deserve a second chance."

I watched as Dad smiled and hugged me. "I don't know how you could ever be cold and hard, or even pretend to be, but I'm so glad that you're my daughter. I promise if the others agree, I'll talk to Mei, but it's up to her too."

I pulled away from him and nodded. "Good, now let's eat and hope your cooking doesn't kill us." I said with a grin and he rolled his eyes.

"I can't make any promises." He said. It was weird, having a Dad again, but I was actually happy. Being with him, talking like this, it's what I always wanted.


	26. Chapter 24

_Chapter Twenty-four:_ _ **Naria's Pov**_

I pulled on my gloves as I stood in my room, having already tied my hair up a moment ago. My father was outside of my bedroom, the room he had slept in rather well last night. We had talked a little last night, after the awkwardness had passed – well, there was still awkwardness, but of course there was going to be – and I had mainly talked about myself. Mostly, he just wanted to know about my likes and dislikes, and about me. I'd ended up telling him that my favourite colour was any blue and forest green, my favourite foods are sushi, takoyaki, dango, strawberry dafuki, chestnuts, strawberries and blueberries, along with many others, my least favourite foods were ramen (not a big fan of it the first time I ate it) and anything spicy and that's about it. My hobbies were cooking, making medicine, gardening, cloud-watching, star-gazing and reading. There was still more I could have told him, but we left it at that. I did learn that he loved takoyaki too and that he thought my healthy style of eating was a good thing, as well as not being too fussed about what I eat. I still wasn't sure why I wasn't the biggest fan of ramen, but eventually I'd try different styles. I don't think it was the whole thing I disliked, just something in the one I ate.

I sighed and walked out of my bedroom, seeing my father standing at the kitchen table. When he heard me though, he turned around and smiled when he saw me.

"That suits you, but I'm not the biggest fan of the hair." Dad said and I smiled. That was his way of saying that he preferred me this way, and so did I. I wasn't surprised he didn't like the hair, even I was thinking of changing it. I'd picked it at random back when I didn't care. "Before we go, I actually have something to give you."

I walked over to him and watched as he produced two swing blades in holders from his bag. This swing blade curved around in a U so I could hold the handle in my hand and the long blade part would sit in front of my arm. On the curved part there were little groves to catch weapons in, and this weapon would be perfect for fighting, especially with wind style. They were also really good for fighting with.

"I made these for you a while ago, thinking they'd be a better fit for you than a sword after watching how you moved as a little girl. They're chakra blades too, so they can also absorb your chakra." Dad explained and I picked them up, holding one in each hand. Funnily enough, they were perfectly balanced and as I swung them I found that they were really easy to use. "What do you think?"

I smiled at him. "I think they're perfect for me and my style of fighting." I said, placing them back away in their sheaths. "Want to help me attach them to my back?" I asked.

Dad nodded and grabbed them, and after a little while they were attached to my back so I could easily grab them. It was actually kinda nice having a weapon I could use my wind style with and having one that was made for me.

"Thanks." I said, before I leant down and grabbed my bag off of the floor. It was packed with everything I thought we might need and even some things we might not. "We should get going, we have a lot of work ahead of us."

Dad placed a hand on my shoulder. "Naria, I know that this awkwardness isn't about to just disappear but promise me you won't be short with me. I'm not made of glass, I won't break if you say something harsh."

I sighed. "I know that and I won't, but remember that I'm not used to this. I used to wish that I didn't care about anything for years and pretended I didn't, but coming here just made me see everything clearly. I realized that I do care, but my problem it that I care about everything too much. I have to get used to letting people close to me again and dealing with my emotions, not ignoring them because I thought ignoring them was easier." I explained, because it was true. "I also have to get used to the fact that I might have a family again, the one thing I've wanted for ten years, and that things might be better this time. Not to mention the fact that I have to get used to being a daughter and a younger sister again and learn how to be an older sister."

He smiled sadly. "I understand, trust me. I wasn't blind to what you went through before Naria and I won't stand back and let it happen again." He said and I nodded.

"Well that's something we can talk about later. First we have to find them." I said, because that was looking to be the hardest thing for us right now.

 _\- Line breaker - **  
**_

I was actually a little surprised to see Ashita waiting at the gate for us, as I had been pretty sure that he was still going to be sleeping. That, or he'd bump into a pretty girl on the way here and get distracted.

"Naria?" I heard a male voice say and I turned to see Neji heading my way, a bag over his shoulder.

"I'll go talk to your sensei." Dad said and I looked up to see him smile as he walked away. Was he going to look at me this way anytime a guy talked to me or I brought one up?

I rolled my eyes and turned back to look at Neji. "Hey. Are you heading off on a mission?" I asked.

"No, I just got back, but from the looks of it, you are going on one." He said and I sighed.

"Not exactly. This isn't a mission from the Hokage, though it is a mission." I said and he raised an eyebrow. "That man that was with me is my father and I'm going with him to help save my family." I explained and his eyebrow stayed raised. Well, I couldn't blame him for being confused. "Before you remind me of what I said to you that day, things are complicated and not entirely what I thought they were."

"I'll take your word for it. I doubt you'd lie about that." He said and I chuckled.

"Yeah, it's definitely not what I thought I'd be doing." I said, before I let out a small sigh and looked him in the eye. "Um, Neji, I'm sorry for how rude I acted at times through our mission together."

"I wasn't offended, but I prefer you acting like yourself. It's a lot easier to get along with you when you're not acting cold." He said and I was surprised that he had noticed it was a façade, but then again, I wouldn't have said sorry before.

"Well I don't plan on acting like that any longer. I got tired of pretending I don't care." I admitted, because while I'd previously said that I didn't want everyone seeing that I wasn't as cold as I pretended to be, I was tired of acting that way.

"Then I wish you luck. I doubt what you're about to do is going to be easy for you." He said and I let out a small laugh.

"It's not likely, but thank you." I said. "I guess I'll see you when I get back."

"You're coming back?" He asked and I nodded.

"Yeah, that's my intention. No matter what happens, this is my home and I'm happy here." I said.

"Then I'll see you then." He replied, a very small smile present, before he headed off in the direction of the Hokage tower. He obviously had to go report to the Hokage about his mission. I actually had to wonder if he knew what happened here while he was gone.

I turned around and saw my father and Ashita talking and I was kinda worried about just what they were talking about. I hadn't been paying enough attention to hear what it was.

 **Ashita's Pov**

I stood at the gate and watched as Naria and a man with black hair and brown eyes walked towards me, only for them to stop when Neji called out Naria's name. A moment later the man I'm sure was Naria's father walked towards me without her and I was now curious as to what kind of man Naria's father was going to be. Once she'd told me he was back and alive, I wanted to meet him because of her.

"You're Naria's sensei correct?" He asked as he reached me and I nodded.

"I'm Kazuma Ashita and yes, I'm her sensei, not that you would have known it a little while ago." I said and he chuckled as he shook my hand.

"It's good to meet you. I'm Yukina Itaru, Naria's father." He introduced, even though I already knew who he was considering Naria told me, but it was nice to know his name now. "Thank you for taking care of my daughter."

I laughed at that. "Yeah, I don't think you can class what I've been doing as taking care of her, because she doesn't need much taking care of. I was originally put with her to watch her because of many reasons, but after a lot of coaxing, we actually formed a teacher student relationship and she trusts me now. I value that a lot because of how much she's been through, and how messed up she was when she first got here. She pretended to just be cold, but it was clear she wasn't okay." I said, but that's when I removed my hand from his. "Which actually leads to why I actually came here this morning."

"I figured when Naria said you were coming that it was more than you just wanting to see her off, so go ahead." He said. Obviously, he was prepared for me being blunt.

"Alright then. Don't you dare hurt her or put her through hell again." I said and he went to say something, but I shook my head. "Naria explained everything and I understand that it wasn't entirely your fault, but I've seen what the outcome of what happened before did to her, you haven't. You've never seen her at her worst and that worst was brought on by pain. When Naria got here, she was so afraid of being hurt that she pretended like she didn't feel a thing, but she did. The abandonment, abuse and loneliness she's felt over the years has left scars and I know she's dealing with them now, but they'll be there forever. It's taken a lot for her to drop the walls she created and let people in again, which is when you've chosen to arrive, so you haven't seen what she was like before. I hope you never do too, because I don't want her to go back to that and I'm pretty sure she doesn't want to either."

I watched as he stared back at me, before looking over at her. "You know, I wish I hadn't grown suspicious of my brother, because then I would have been open about my feelings for her, even if it tore the valley apart and made people choose sides, but I did and he used that to blame everything on her when she was far too young to have to deal with that. Still, it scares me to think of what would have happened if he couldn't blame it on her, so I don't know if what I did was right or not." He said before looking back at me and I could see the sadness in his eyes. I wasn't blind to the fact that he hated himself for what happened, but I had a habit of saying what I thought and I wasn't going to spare his feeling now. "But I'm not letting that happen again. I know she plans on coming back here once this is all over and I'm not going to stop her from doing that; I'd never ask her to go back to the valley after what happened last time, but I want a relationship with her that isn't barred by my duties as lord. Don't get me wrong, I don't want to be separated from her again, but it's obvious that she's independent and her life is here, and I love her enough to let my daughter do what she wants and be happy. I'm also going to do what I want this time, which is to never be lord again."

"You say it like you hated being lord." I said and he shrugged.

"Naria's not the only one who didn't like their title because of the chains." He said and I was surprised by that. "When I was younger, I was a free spirit and I wanted to follow my own path in life; I wanted to be my own person and not be defined by a title, my family or how people thought my life should be led. I didn't want to rule anyone, I just wanted to fight to protect them and be a person who was allowed to live a life without strict rules. I stuck to my own beliefs, which caused me to clash with my parents at times and some elders, and spoke my mind often, which got me in trouble because princes aren't supposed to speak their mind all the time. I loved the outdoors and hated the mere thought of arranged marriages, but in the end, I had to let go of what I wanted and agree to one because of my father's poor health. Don't get me wrong, I got along with Ayana until Naria was born and respected her dedication, but that's it. I lost out on so many things I wanted in my life and I'll always regret it forever, but I got the one thing that I always wanted: children, and look what happened there. I sometimes wonder how my life would have turned out if I told my parents that I wouldn't marry Ayana and married for love, and how my kids' lives would have turned out. I also wonder what things would have been like if I wasn't born into a high-class family." He explained and I actually started to smile and let out a small laugh, which made him look at me.

"I suggest you tell Naria that story if you haven't already, because I think you'll find that she's a lot like you." I said and Itaru chuckled.

"That sounds about right. She has some of her mother's looks, though she originally did have my hair colour, and my personality, which is a good thing." He said, which is when Naria decided to join us of course.

 **Naria's Pov**

As I reached them I was surprised to hear my father say that I had my mother's look, but his personality. That was a good thing in my opinion because my mother had a very bad personality. Sure, no one would have known it, as when she was around the people or people she wanted to impress, she was polite and would complement everyone. Basically, she would say anything to get people to like her. In real life though, she was self-centred, self-orientated, narrow-minded, rude, supercilious, arrogant and said some incredibly stupid things. She expected us all to be perfect and acted like just the lady of the village instead of our mother. Her outlook on life was terrible and her view of people was even worse.

"I'm glad I don't have her personality, she was terrible." I said bluntly.

"You really hate your mother, don't you?" Ashita said as a statement and I shook my head.

"I did once, but now I don't. Life's too short to hold onto hate." I said, because I was finally learning that. "Don't get me wrong, I don't like her and I'll never forget what she did to me, but she's gone now and she's just not worth hating."

"You've changed, and in a good way." Ashita said and I smiled.

"I know, and I'm happy about that too." I said, before I looked at my father. "We should get going; we have a lot of looking to do and sooner is better. Who knows what Tadao has planned; Ayame obviously ran away for a reason."

"I unfortunately agree with you." Dad said, before looking back at Ashita. "It was nice to meet you Ashita."

"Same here." Ashita said, before he looked at me and ruffled my hair, causing me to scroll at him. "I'll see you when you get back kiddo. Be careful, but kick your evil uncle's ass."

"Will do." I said with a smile and I turned around with my father by my side, and with that we started running, which made me glad that my father had grown up fighting.

"He cares about you." Dad said as we ran and I looked ahead with a small smile on my face.

"I know he does." I said, because it was obvious that Ashita cared about me and I cared about him too. He was my teacher and he'd helped me a lot.

I looked forward as we kept moving.

 _\- Line Breaker -_

We travelled until it started dusk was an hour away, which is when we decided to make camp. I made a fire quite easily and I watched as Dad dropped his bag, before coming over to me. I looked up at him and saw him smiling down at me. "What?"

"I thought I should check out how you are with your blades." He said and I looked up at him.

"Okay." I said and I stood up, pulling out my swing blades. I walked over to a clearing and waited for him. He came over and stood a little way away from me.

"Now, don't go easy on me." He said and I didn't say it, but I was going to go easy on him.

"Go ahead." I said and he unsheathed his sword, which is when he ran at me. He swung his sword before getting to me and a blade of wind came at me. I swung both my blades and two blades of wind flew towards his. My two wiped out his and I dashed forward quickly, appearing in front of him in a moment and placing my right blade against his throat, shocking him. "Well, how'd I do?" I asked.

"Incredibly well; even better than I thought. I didn't even see you move." He said, before his eyes narrowed. "You went easy on me, didn't you?"

"Yep." I said and he sighed.

"I guess I really don't need to see your skill with the blades. You've obviously become an exceptional ninja." He said and I smiled at him.

"It's what I wanted. I'd say becoming a ninja is the greatest thing I wanted in life, but it always came second to wanting to have a family that loved me for what I am." I admitted. "I guess I'm slowly getting that now."


	27. Chapter 25

_Chapter Twenty-five:_ _ **Naria's Pov**_

 _Naria's Dream_

 _I was following behind Daddy and Riku as they walked towards the Kazekage who didn't seem like the nicest man in the world. I had a hood over my head, covering my hair and some of my face. Out of the corner out of my eye I saw a red-headed boy playing by himself in the sand. I saw a group of kids that seemed to be avoiding him, and a kid who passed me with some others pointed and called him a freak. Even the adults I saw were avoiding him and dragging their kids away, which made me start to walk towards him, as he didn't look happy._

 _"_ _Snow flake, where are you going?" Riku asked and I turned to look at him. He was kneeling down to talk to me because he was so much bigger._

 _"_ _To talk to that boy." I said, pointing. "He looks sad and lonely, and people are avoiding him." I said and he smiled at me, patting my head._

 _"_ _Okay, just stay there until we come back then. Don't go running off." Riku said and I smiled before turning and heading over to the boy who was playing by himself. He was somehow creating sand sculptures that were really cool. I mean the sand seemed to be moving on its own, but I was sure it was him._

 _"_ _That's really cool." I said as I reached him and he looked at me, surprised. He had black rings around his eyes, strange but cool coloured eyes and red hair, but he looked sad. "Why do you look so sad?" I asked._

 _"_ _Everyone is afraid of me." He said and I pouted. So, they were avoiding him 'cause they were afraid._

 _"_ _Why? You're a kid." I asked innocently._

 _"_ _They call me a monster." He said as he looked down and I smiled at him._

 _"_ _People call me the same thing." I said and he looked up at me again, surprised again. "It hurts, but I'm me and you're you. We're kids, we can't be monsters. We might have monsters in us, but I don't care. To me, you're normal." He seemed different to me, felt different, but I didn't care. I was different too._

 _"_ _How can you be so happy?" He asked, seeming confused._

 _"_ _I don't want to be miserable, so I don't let myself be. Plus, I don't want to worry my brother or father." I said and then I looked at the sand sculpture he'd made when I was walking up. "How'd you do that?"_

 _"_ _I just did it. I can control sand." He said and I smiled at him._

 _"_ _That's so cool. Can anyone else do that?" I smiled and he shook his head. "So, it's like your own personally gift. That's amazing and looks like so much fun." I smiled and he seemed surprised, but I saw a small smile appear on his face, which made me smiled even more._

 _"_ _Want me to make you something?" He asked and I smiled._

 _"_ _Sure. Make anything you want." I said and I watched as the sand swirled around and formed into a teddy bear as I watched. "A teddy bear. You really have a cool gift… um… I didn't ask your name?"_

 _"_ _It's Gaara." He said and I smiled._

 _"_ _I'm…"_

 _"_ _Snowflake, we need to get going." Riku called and I turned my head to look at Riku, pouting._

 _"_ _Don't call me that. I'm five, nearly six. I'm not a snowflake." I called, before I turned to look back at Gaara. "Goodbye Gaara. Don't let anyone make you sad, 'cause I think you're amazing." I smiled before I ran over to Riku, waving goodbye to Gaara as I left._

 _I only realized as I walked away that I didn't tell him my name, so I hoped we met again._

 _Dream End_

As I opened my eyes and sat up, surprised by my dream. If my dream was actually a memory, then I had met Gaara when we were little children. I know my dad had been there, but how had I forgotten that? Yeah, I'd been five at the time, but a five-year-old should remember something like that. It's not every day you see someone manipulate sand and make you a teddy.

"Good morning Naria." Dad said from where he was sitting and I looked over at him.

"Dad, when I was five, not long before my birthday, did Riku and I come with you to the sand village?" I asked him and he looked surprised by my question.

"Yes, you did. I had business with the Kazekage and wanted to get you out of the village for a while, but you wanted Riku to come so we all went. You went to talk to a child while we were there." Dad said and I smiled.

"Thought so." I said and he raised an eyebrow. "I just had a dream about it, so I was curious if it was a memory or not. I'm still recovering some of them obviously." I said and he nodded.

I got up and walked over to him, sitting down and opening some of the food from my bag.

"So, how far away is the village from here? We covered a lot of ground yesterday." I asked, considering I didn't know where we were going.

"Well, I've narrowed it down to three villages that are close together. We should reach the first on by midday." He said and I nodded. Right, we didn't actually know which village Riku was in.

"Then I guess we better finish breakfast and get on our way again." I said and he nodded. I could tell by the look on his face that he was looking forward to seeing Riku again.

 _\- Line Breaker -_

We travelled for a few hours without any incident – and by no incident I mean no assassins attacking us – and reached the first village. We searched it, but there was no sign of Riku, so we moved on. We travelled for a short time to the next village and searched that one too, but there was still no sign of Riku, so we headed for the third village. I hoped he was there, because if he wasn't then we would have to widen the search field.

We arrived at the third village and I could see that Dad was tense.

"He has to be here, or else I don't know where else to look." Dad said and I knew that he was also saying that he didn't want to think Riku might be dead.

I didn't answer him though because right then I stopped walking and looked to my right. Standing there, digging in a field, was a man that I was sure was my brother. I started walking over to him slowly.

"Naria?" Dad asked but I just kept walking.

The man who was digging up the ground to plant seeds had long black hair that was tied up low and as I watched him stand up straight to wipe the sweat off his forehead I saw the eyes that were the same colour as mine, before leaning back over and getting back to work.

"Riku?" I said in query and I watched as he stood up straight and looked at me, which is when his eyes widened.

"Naria." He said and I nodded, feeling the tears well up in my eyes, and he dropped his plough and ran over to me, hugging me before I could blink. I hugged him back, because all I had wanted for many years was to be reunited with my brother.

However, I was still mad at him, so I pulled away from him and despite wanting to slap him across the face, I slapped his arm hard and glared at him.

"Ten years! Nearly ten years I have been wondering what happened to you." I yelled at him, tears in my eyes despite not wanting to cry. "Why did you never come looking for me?"

"Because I thought you were dead." He said and my eyes widened at that. "After I left, I found a village – this village – to live in, and a year later I heard that Tadao had killed you. I knew it didn't happen how he said it did, but you were little – I had no other choice but to believe it. And now you're here, standing in front of me – alive."

I looked down. "The being inside of me – her name is Demiyah by the way and she is the wolf demon of light – saved me. I'll explain the rest later." I said and he nodded. "Riku, I'm not the only person you thought was dead but is still alive."

"What are you…" He started, but then he looked over my shoulder and now he just looked plain shocked.

I turned my head and saw that he was looking at Dad. "It's really him Riku, you didn't kill him." I said, because I doubted he'd believe his eyes.

I watched as Dad walked over to us, seeming as nervous now as he had been when he'd arrived at my door.

"Father." Riku said and Dad smiled.

"It's nice to see you again Riku." Dad said and it was obvious that Riku had no idea what to do, so I stepped back and stood behind Riku, shoving him forward so he'd hug Dad, which he did. Men could hug, I don't care what anyone said.

"Did you have to shove me Snowflake?" Riku asked and I shrugged, though even though it brought back happy memories, I wasn't pleased that he used that nickname.

"Yes, because we really don't have time for awkwardness. Plus, don't call me Snowflake – I'm nearly sixteen and in no way a delicate snowflake." I said and he smiled, though I could see he was a little uncomfortable – he probably didn't know how to talk to me.

"How about we go to my house? Kanami is probably making dinner." Riku said and I looked up at him.

"Is Kanami your girlfriend?" I asked and he rubbed the back of his neck.

"Actually, Kanami is my wife." He said and my eyes widened. Okay, I hadn't even thought to consider the fact that Riku might have a wife, but he was definitely old enough to.

"You're married?" I asked and he nodded. "Well, let's go then. I want to meet the girl who won my brothers heart."

Riku smiled at that and started walking forward, with me right by his side. Dad was walking behind us by a decent amount and I rolled my eyes as I looked forward again.

"I don't think I've ever seen him so silent." Riku muttered and I sighed.

"Well, you can't blame him. The last time we saw him I had just turned six, you were fourteen and he and Mother were trying to kill me. Then, he killed her and you drove a sword through his heart to save me. That, along with the fact that he was manipulated into doing it by his own brother, is enough to make anyone tense." I said, because it was a fact. Our father just didn't know what to say to us.

I felt Riku's eyes on me. "You've changed to." He pointed out.

"Yeah, well, that's a good thing. I was messed up a little while ago." I said and I knew that made him curious. "I'll explain later, alright."

"Okay then." He said.

We walked in silence for a little while.

"Well, this is my house." Riku said, pointing to the house to the left. He walked over to it and opened the door, stepping inside. "Kanami, I'm home, and I've brought some unexpected visitors."

A woman stepped out of the kitchen. "Welcome home honey." She smiled, before her eyes landed on me and my father, which is when they widened. This woman had light brown hair and mauve eyes, and she was beautiful. "Aren't they…"

"My father and sister, yeah." Riku said and I saw that she didn't know what to say.

After a moment, she smiled. "Well, I'm making dinner, and luckily I have a habit of making more than we can eat, so why don't you all talk while I finish up." She said.

"Let me give you a hand." Dad said and while Kanami didn't seem to know what to say to that, she nodded and Dad followed her into the kitchen, leaving Riku and I standing there.

"He wants to help her _cook?_ " Riku asked as though it was the most unbelievable thing he'd ever heard.

"He's not that bad actually, a woman taught him." I said and then I looked at him. "So, why don't we take this time and talk, and then I'll make him talk to you."

"Alright." He said and he led me into the lounge, after we took of our sandals and left them by the door, along with my bag. We sat down near each other and Riku looked at me. "Tell me everything that's happened since I left."

Now that was not something I wanted to do. "Riku…"

"No." He cut in. "I don't care how bad it is or how much I probably don't want to hear it, I want to know. I know you can't tell me absolutely everything that has happened in the last ten years, but I want to know the main things. I'm your brother Naria, and I want to know you and what you've been through. So, tell me everything – we're not in the valley anymore, you don't have to pretend that everything is fine when it isn't."

I sighed. "You're really not going to like it." I said, but his gaze remained firm. "Alright, after you left, our uncle locked me away in my room for an entire year. No one would talk to me because they thought I'd killed our parents, and you, and they were ordered not to."

"Yeah, I heard about that." Riku said and he didn't look happy.

"Well, on the anniversary of their deaths, he dragged me out of the castle via the underground tunnels and drove his sword through my chest. I still have the scar." He did not look happy about that. "I survived and tried to find a home in some of the surrounding villages, but no one would take me in. I have a feeling Tadao was the reason for that. So, I had to find a way to survive on my own in the forest, and I did for a quite a while, but then I was caught by someone who took abandoned children and tortured them until they broke so he could train them to kill the Kage." He looked just like I thought he would.

"How'd you get away from him?" He asked and I sighed. Well, he didn't ask what did he do like I thought he would, not that I would tell him.

"At the time I thought I had lost control of the demon chakra and killed them, but I recently learnt the Demiyah took over my body and killed them." I explained. "After I got away I was found by a shinobi of the Leaf and he trained me for a while, before leaving me with an old acquaintance of his. I trained for years in the forest, mainly with the help of a wolf who I can now summon, as she went back to the forest mountains she came from. Through those years I did my best to make myself cold and uncaring and harsh, but it was only ever on the outside. I didn't want to care, especially when the man I was left with tried to kill me. Also, I spent those years training like a mad woman so I could fight off the assassins coming after me."

"You don't seem any of those things to me." He said and I smiled.

"After I helped some leaf ninja and then was poisoned, I was taken to the leaf and the Hokage let me stay. I started training with a man who drove me insane, but no matter how harsh I acted he kept trying to get to know me; the real me. It wasn't easy for me, being in the village, but I met so many people and slowly I began to change. Then I went to the sand, I found out the man that tortured me was still alive and I killed him, I helped a girl who had been tortured by her and helped her see that there could be a good next, and then I spoke to Gaara. After that, I just started seeing things a different way and slowly I got better and started dropping my walls. I stopped living in the past, I started dropping my walls and started rediscovering myself. And then I learnt the truth about what is inside of me a few days ago, from her." I explained and I saw that he was taking in everything I had told him.

"Is it wrong that I feel guilty that I've had a good life since I came here, despite the assassins who came after me too. You've gone through hell and I've been fine." Riku said and I moved to sit beside him, making him look at me as I did.

"It's normal brother behaviour, so no, but you shouldn't. All I've wanted to know since you left was that you were happy. I didn't want you to have a bad life after you gave your previous one to protect me." I said because I didn't want my brother to feel bad for this. He was there for me through all of the bad things I went through in the valley

"Naria, you're my sister. I was supposed to protect you." He said and I nodded. "And besides, I've lived a happy life here. I have a wife and friends; I've been happy."

"I'm glad to hear it." I said with a smile.

"But I never stopped missing you Naria, not once." He said and I smiled with small tears in my eyes, but before I could wipe them away Riku did. "And right now, I want nothing more than to talk with you happily, but I know something is wrong, so while I think our father knows more, I want to know what's happening."

"I guess that means you haven't seen Ayame." I said and his eyes widened.

"Ayame. No, of course I haven't seen her. I haven't seen her since I left." He said, but then he seemed to realize why I was asking. "She'd not in the valley anymore, is she?"

"Not from what Masato told Dad, so we were hoping she'd come to find you, but she must have gone to find grandmother, meaning we have to go to the sand because I'm pretty sure that's where she is." I said, because now I was not happy. I was really hoping she was here, though that hope had been dashed when I didn't see her, so then I was hoping Riku may have seen her, but it was a no again.

"Why would Ayame run? Nobu's got to be lord by now, so what is that idiot doing?" Riku asked and I screwed up my face, which caught his attention. "What?"

"Nobu isn't the lord." I said and he just looked at me.

"You're joking. Our brother would never let go of boss…" He cut off as his eyes widened. "Are you telling me that our brother, who was a pompous, arrogant brat as a kid, let Tadao be lord?"

"Yeah, he obviously takes after our mother." I said, which was meant as an insult and Riku groaned, placing his head in his hands.

"I was wondering why the assassins had gotten worse, and now I know." He said, before raising his head up to look at me. "Things aren't good, are they?"

"No, they're really not. From what we know, Tadao is being… well, I guess just saying his name is enough to explain what he's doing. We both know what he is like." I said and Riku nodded. "Dad and I are going to go back there and help the people, because they don't deserve what they must be going through, but we wanted to find you and Ayame first. I'm not sure what Nobu is thinking, but I'll kick his idiot ass if it comes to it."

"Honestly, even though I never could before, I did think about going home one day if I could." Riku said honestly and I smiled. Of course he'd want to; he'd had friends there and was okay being a prince. He cared about the people. "If I come with you, I have to talk to Kanami first. She's my wife, so this affects her."

"I'd smack you if you didn't ask her." I said and he smiled, which is when I stood up. "I'm going to go get Dad. You should talk to him now, or else dinner is going to be very weird."

I left him sitting there and found the kitchen, where Dad was helping Kanami cook. They seemed to be nearly done.

"Dad." I said and he looked at me, putting down the knife. "Go and talk to him."

He sighed. "I think it might be better…"

"Don't make me make you." I cut in, giving him a look that clearly meant I'd drag him in there if he didn't go willingly.

"Alright then." He said and he walked past me, leaving me to shake my head as he did. I saw that Kanami was smiling.

I walked over to her. "Sorry about that. Would you like some help?" I asked and she shook her head.

"Don't worry about it, and as for helping, I've finished cooking." She said.

"Then I'll help you set the table." I said and she nodded, so we headed to the dining table to help her set it. "Sorry I didn't introduce myself, but I figured you knew who I was."

She nodded. "Yes, I knew you the second I saw you – both of you. Riku has a photograph of you, and he's spoken of you fondly many times. He's always regretted not taking you with him." She said and I sighed.

"I used to wish he had, but things just would have been harder if we were together and he probably would have gotten killed protecting me, so I'm glad he didn't." I admitted. "I'm glad he has you though. He really loves you, I can tell. I'm not that good with some emotions, but I've always been able to read his."

She blushed. "Yes, and I love him. We met when he first came to the village and I've loved him since then. He wasn't that open about who he was, but then we became friends and he told me everything." She said.

"Did he tell you everything about me?" I asked, because I was generally curious. Riku had never cared about what was inside of me and was never ashamed, but I was curious if he told her.

She stopped moving and looked at me. "If you mean the fact that you have something sealed inside of you, yes, he did, and just like him I do not care. I understand why people feared you, but it was unjustified: you never did anything wrong and neither did it."

"Her name is Demiyah." I said, as I felt wrong calling her or hearing her called an "it" now that I knew her name.

"So, you've learnt about it?" She asked in surprise and I nodded.

"Only recently, but yeah. She revealed herself to me when she knew that I could handle it, which for a long time, I didn't want to." I explained and she smiled.

"I'm glad." She said. "And I'm also glad you're here. All Riku has ever wanted was you back. He loves all his family; well, most of it, but you've always been the most important person to him."

I smiled at that. "And I'm glad I get to see him again, I just wish things weren't the way they were." I admitted.

"Help me serve dinner, then we'll get Riku and your father in here and you can tell me what's going on." Kanami said and I actually smiled.

"I have a feeling I'm going to like you as a sister in law." I said and she smiled back at me as we walked into the kitchen together to grab the food.

"I think I might too, though I definitely have to have a sit down with you and get you to tell me what you remember of Riku as a child. I'd love some embarrassing stories about my husband." She said and I heard a groan.

"Don't even think about it Naria." Riku said from behind me and I turned to look at him, my hands on my hips.

"You're not the boss of me." I said, before looking at Kanami. "We'll talk."

"I'm beginning to miss the younger you Snowflake." Riku said and I turned to glare at him.

"How many times do I have to tell you to stop calling me that?" I asked, because I wasn't fond of that nickname.

"You can tell me as many times as you want, doesn't mean I'm going to listen." Was his reply and I just looked at him.

"You know I can kick your ass now right." I said, because I so could.

"Just because you're a kunoichi, does not mean you can beat me. I've been training too." He said and I looked at him, before walking over to finish helping Kanami serve the food.

"You're going to regret saying that sooner or later son." Dad said and oh, how right he was.

"She's good, isn't she?" Riku asked and I smiled at that.

"Yes, and more than that, she's incredibly fast. I wanted to see her skill with the blades I gave her and she had one against my neck before I could blink." Dad explained and I swear I heard Riku gulp.

"Dinner's ready to eat." I said with a smile and Riku looked at me.

"You're going to make me pay for what I said at some point, aren't you?" He asked and I smiled at him.

"We'll see." I said and he groaned, while Kanami laughed.

This was what I had been missing, and I was so glad to have it back. I was glad to have Riku back and my dad, and now I also had a sister-in-law who I was sure I was going to like. I liked her so far.

"Let's sit down and eat, and you can explain what's going on." Kanami said and I nodded.

Dad and I sat down on one side of the table while Riku and Kanami sat on the other side together. It was time to talk.

 _\- Line Breaker -_

Dad and I explained everything we knew, as well as the fact that we would have to go find Ayame. Kanami took everything we said rather well, and she was quite adamant about helping us too. Riku obviously wasn't the biggest fan of that idea, but he didn't say anything.

"Well, I'll come with you and we can find her. Grandma lives in the sand from what I've heard." Riku said and I shook my head.

"Actually, it might be better if just Dad and I go. The more of us there is, the more chances we have of drawing attention. We don't want our uncle catching on too quick." I said, because that's the last thing I wanted.

"You hate our grandmother." Riku pointed out.

"I don't like her, there's a difference. She's not worth hating." I said, because I did not hate her anymore. Was she my favourite person, no, but I didn't like her because she couldn't give a damn about me. "And besides, I'm the only one here who knows the Kazekage. It's better I go."

"How do you know the Kazekage?" Kanami asked.

"We met once when we were little, and again recently. I went to his village to help them with a sickness, which I learnt was a poison that just looked like a sickness. Anyway, after that he was attacked and a lot of things happened, but after I helped him we talked and got to know each other." I explained.

"How well did you get to know each other exactly?" Riku asked and I groaned.

"Oh, don't you start. He's already done that to me." I complained, pointing in Dad's direction. "Gaara helped me, he's the reason I started dropping the rest of the walls I'd built to keep people out. So, stop acting like an overprotective brother and just be grateful that I met someone who understands what it's like to be someone who has a demon in them. I owe him a lot, and I don't think he even knows how much, so I'd like to tell him."

"Okay, okay, I'll stop. But the day you do get a boyfriend, I'm giving you and him hell. It's a big brothers job, and I missed out on a lot because of everything that happened." Riku said and I sighed, but then I looked at Kanami.

"I'm telling you every embarrassing story I can remember." I said and she nodded.

"I looked forward to it." She said happily. "There is one thing we have to work out though that I noticed none of you have mentioned. If you beat your uncle and stop him, and if your brother really is bad, then who is going to take care of your people?" She asked and I had been thinking about that.

"Well, it won't be me. I can't do that and as much as I want to be with my family, I can't live there. The leaf is my home and I'm happy there." I said, before looking at Riku. "I know you want us to be together, and I will visit as often as I can, but I just can't live in the valley."

"I'm not an idiot Naria, I knew that you wouldn't live there." Riku said, and then he looked at Dad. "When we do this, it's going to fall to you or me to take over. Ayame is still too young, and even if Nobu isn't bad, I'm not letting that idiot be the lord of anything." He said.

"I'm not sure that I want to be lord again, but I cannot put that duty on to you. You have a life here Riku, and a wife." Dad said and Riku looked at Kanami, who smiled at him, which made Riku looked at Dad again.

"Dad, I was born to one day take over from you and I'm okay with it, and so is Kanami. But if I do it, I'll be doing it my way. The rules for being a prince or a princess won't be as strict, because one day we want children, and I won't raise them the way Mom raised us. Plus, Kanami isn't going through any training." Riku said and I smiled at him. Thank god for that. "But, I do want your help Dad to begin with."

"I don't think you'll need it, but of course." Dad said and I smiled, before looking at Kanami, who looked concerned.

"Do you think I could be a good Lady of a village?" She asked, and she was looking at me.

"Kanami, from what I've seen, you'll be amazing. Just be yourself, because no matter what you do, it'll be fine. My mother was horrible and strict, so just don't be like her. All you have to do is be yourself and care about what happens to the people." I said honestly, because despite running from my past for years, I hadn't forgotten all I'd learnt. A lot my mother had taught me, I had realized to do the opposite.

"I think you'd be a good ruler Naria." Kanami said and I smiled at her.

"I think we all do, but that's not why she's refusing to do it sweetheart." Riku said, before looking at me. "Is it?"

"No, it isn't." I admitted. "I'm sure I could be a good leader now that I have dropped my walls and started learning who I really am, and let my cold persona go, but I can't do it there and I don't really want to. They're my people, and they always will be because I was born to lead them, and despite not wanting to be a princess, I always will be. I've realized that no one can quit being who they really are, not even a princess. Now, you can refuse the job, but I'm a princess by birth. Granted, I believe I was born to be a Kunoichi, but I'm still a princess. But the other reason I won't do it is because I don't think I'm the right person to rule the valley – they need someone other than me, which I'm okay with. I'm happier as a kunoichi."

"My daughter is like me. We were both born into this life, but we both wanted to do something else." Dad said.

"I was the one who wanted to rule, and I wanted to be a good ruler, like you father. However, I did not want to marry someone like mother, which I didn't." Riku said, smiling at Kanami.

"Well, since you two have to travel, and we've had a long day, I think it is time we head to bed so you two can leave early. We have a spare room, but only one bed." Kanami said and I smiled.

"I'll sleep on the couch, and Dad can take the bed." I said and I saw that Dad was going to protest, but I just looked at him. "We've had this discussion before, so no arguing."

"Alright, fine." Dad said, raising his hands as he stood up. "If one of you would show me to the room, I think I'll retire for the night."

"I'll show you. Riku, set out a pillow and blanket for Naria on the couch." Kanami said as she stood up and Riku nodded, which made Kanami run her hand over his shoulder as she left the room with Dad. "And neither of you clean up. I will do it, and it's not up for discussion."

"I like her." I said as we got up and Riku smiled as he led me to the lounge, going over to a chest and grabbing out a pillow and a blanket.

"She's an amazing woman." Riku said as he came back over to me, placing the pillow and blanket on the couch as I undid my hair. "You both are."

"You don't know me well enough to know that yet brother." I said and he stood up straight, coming over to me.

"I know that you told me your story without showing the pain you were in." He said and I looked at him. How had he noticed that?

I smiled at him like I used to, as I was going to deny it. "I don't know what you're talking about, I'm fine now."

"Don't." He said, shaking his head. "Don't give me that fake smile to try and pretend you're okay; I don't want to see it. I saw it too much when you were younger and tried to hide your pain from me; even now you still try to hide it. So please, for once just show me what you're really feeling. It's just you and me right now."

I looked at him and I tried to stop myself, but I felt the tears coming as I looked at him. "I'm getting better, I am, but the pain is still there. I was alone Riku, for years. I didn't have anyone and no one came looking for me, and the people I trusted turned on me. And, I went through hell and wanted to become someone who didn't care, but I care, which just made it worse." I cried and he pulled me into his arms, hugging me tightly.

"I am so sorry I left you there, and I am so sorry that you went through all of that, but you've come out stronger for it and that I am happy about." Riku said as I tried to hold back my tears as I hugged him back.

"I've missed you." I admitted and I felt him hold me tighter.

"I've missed you too." He said, before pulling away from me and wiping me tears away. "You've grown up so much." He said, but then he looked at my hair. "Just, do me a favour and start wearing your hair down. I like it more this way."

"You're not the first person to say that." I said, before sighing and reaching back to touch my hair. "But I have to agree that I like it much more this way, so I think I will."

"Okay, then I'll leave you to sleep and see you in the morning, and when all of this is over, we're going to talk like a family and I'm going to learn more about you." Riku said and I nodded. "And please, don't tell Kanami any embarrassing stories."

"What, like how you were afraid of butterflies and moths as a kid?" I asked and he wasn't impressed. "No deal, but I promise I won't tell her that."

"I guess I can accept that." He said, before patting my head. "Night sis."

He turned and started leaving as I smiled. "Night bro." I said and I swear I saw him smiling as he left the room.

I sat on the couch before lying down, placing the pillow down before I rested my head on it. I wasn't going to bother changing right now. Still, as I laid there I had a smile on my face. I had my brother back, and he was still amazing.

 **Riku's Pov**

As I climbed into bed beside Kanami, she rolled over to look at me as I laid down. "Are you okay honey?"

I sighed. "Today, I woke up and all I had to do was work. Then the father I thought I killed and the sister I thought was dead arrived and they told me so much." I said.

"That's not what I meant. You're handling that, I can tell, but there's something that's bothering you." She said and I sat up again, which made her follow.

"I should have taken her with me Kanami. I should have never left her there." I said, because all I felt was guilt right now.

"Riku, you were fourteen, and she doesn't hate you for leaving her. If she had gone with you, there was a great chance you would have died protecting her, and then where would have that left her. She would have had to live with that guilt forever." She said and I looked at her. I knew what she was saying was right, but Naria was my sister.

"She went through hell after I left, and I know what she told me was only half of it. She was tortured, and she was hurt, and she had to fight off assassins on her own. She was seven when she was left alone in a forest to survive." I said and I saw Kanami's eyes widen, before she placed a hand against my cheek.

"And that's horrible, but look at her now. She survived all that and despite all that pain, she was smiling. And from what your father was saying, she is strong and knows how to take care of herself." Kanami said. "No child deserves to go through that, but she lived through it and is still living."

"I want to get to know her." I said and she smiled.

"And you will. Even if she's in another village, she will always be your sister and you can see her anytime you want." She said. "But for right now, you need to get some sleep. Once they leave tomorrow, we need to make plans to leave too."

"I love you." I said as I smiled at her.

"I love you too." She said and I leant over to kiss her, before lying down with her in my arms. I was so lucky to have her, and now I had my father and my sister back.


	28. Chapter 26

_Chapter Twenty-six –_ **Naria's Pov**

As Dad and I walked out of Riku's and Kanami's house, the two of them followed us. Kanami had made us a beautiful breakfast and had packed us lunch for the road. I had told Dad I could go alone if he wanted to stay, as I could get there faster, but he'd refused to let me.

"We'll be ready to go once you come back." Kanami said and I nodded. I was amazed at how okay she was with leaving her home, but it showed me how much she loved my brother.

"Are you guys sure you don't want me coming?" Riku asked and I looked at him. "It's obvious you can protect yourself, but I want to help, and I want to meet the guy who saved my sister."

"You need to stay here and help your wife." I said. "We'll find Ayame."

"Good luck, and don't let our grandmother give you hell if Ayame is with her." Riku said and I nodded.

"Don't worry, I don't plan to." I said with a smile. I wasn't letting my grandmother make me feel like crap. "We should hopefully be back in a few days, and then we can head to the valley."

"We'll be waiting." Riku said and I then looked at Dad, who nodded, which is when we both took off running.

"Do you really think Ayame will be in the sand?" Dad asked and I looked at him.

"I hope so, because the alternatives aren't good." I said, because if she was in the sand, I knew she'd be safe.

 _\- Line Breaker -_

It took us just over a day to arrive at the sand, as my father needed sleep so we had to stop at night. However, as we ran towards the sand village I spotted two men running towards there, dressed nothing like sand shinobi or any other hidden village ninja.

"Assassins, I think." I said and I looked at Dad. "I'll handle them, but you can back me up."

I dashed forward quickly and kicked one, sending him flying, before I spun and slammed my fist into the others stomach. He unsheathed his sword and I quickly took out my swing blades to block it as he swung it towards me. I deflected it and then sent him flying with a blade of wind. His back slammed into a rock and I spun around just in time to catch the other's arm and force him to the ground.

"So, tell me, who exactly are you after?" I demanded, gripping his arm tightly as I twisted it hard, having put back my swing blades.

"Like I'm telling you." He said and I gripped his arm tightly.

"Let me make this clear: my uncle Tadao has no intention to pay you, so who are you going after?" I asked and he looked at me.

"Your sister. We were told she was here." He groaned and I smiled.

"Thanks." I said, and that is when he tried to get up and attack me, but I grabbed my kunai and drove it into his side. "If you're smart, you'll leave. Though, attacking the sand isn't smart."

I then heard a cry behind me and saw my father take down the other one, who I had known had gotten up.

"We should get to the village." He said and I nodded. "Will that one survive?"

"If he doesn't come after us again, probably." I said, since the wound I inflicted wasn't fatal.

We took off running, leaving the two assassins there. If they were smart, they'd get help, but I didn't care too much if they did. I was not a fan of assassins, but that was because so many had come after me. Those guys though, they sucked in comparison to the other's I'd fought.

We arrived at the sand village gate and I saw the man that had been there the last time I came here standing there.

"You're the girl who protected the Kazekage. What are you doing here?" He asked me.

"I'm looking for someone: my sister. I'm pretty sure she came here looking for my grandmother, Kohinata Aya, recently." I said and he looked at me.

"A girl came here searching for Kohinata Aya. She had brown hair and brown eyes." He said and I smiled.

"That's her." I said and he sighed.

"She arrived two days ago. She was injured and passed out before she could tell us much more, so we took her to be healed. I'm sure you know where she is, but I'd go speak to the Kazekage first." He said and I nodded.

"Thank you. We will." I said and he nodded. We walked into the village and I led my father to where Gaara would be, while showing Dad where we would have to go see Ayame.

I walked towards the office that belonged to Gaara and saw two shinobi standing out front of it. They turned to look at me and my father as we approached.

"You? What are you doing here?" One asked and I looked at him.

"My sister is here, she was the girl who arrived two days ago, but the man at the gate told me I should speak to Gaara first." I said and the other knocked on the door, before going in a second later as I stood there. The other was looking at me weirdly, not that I knew why.

"Lord Gaara, the healer from the leaf, the white haired one Naria, and a man are here to see you. The injured girl who arrived here is her sister." The man explained as I listened in.

"Let them in." Gaara said and the man came back out of the room.

"He'll see you." He said and I nodded, before walking in with my father behind me.

"Gaara, it's nice to see you again, though I wish it was under different circumstances." I said as I walked in and he looked at me.

"Naria, your sister is in the hospital. I'm supposed to be hearing from someone about her condition soon." Gaara said and that is when Rozuko came into the room.

"Lord Gaara, the girl is awake. Her name is Yukina Ayame, and I think she's…" She cut off when she saw me standing there. "Naria?"

"Hi Rozuko." I said and she came over to me, hugging me before I could stop her.

"I'm happy to see you." She said with a smile, before something clicked and she pulled away from me. "A girl is here. Is she your sister?"

I nodded. "Yeah, I know, and yes, she's my sister. She's why we're here." I said, before I looked at my Dad. "You should go and talk to Ayame first. At least she knows you better than she knows me." I said to him in the entrance of Gaara's office.

He placed his hand on my shoulder. "I will, though I'll probably give her a heart attack. I am supposed to be dead." He said and he wasn't wrong, but Ayame still knew him; she barely knew me.

"I'll take you there." Rozuko offered, though she didn't know who he was and she seemed confused by the situation.

"Thank you." My father said and he followed Rozuko out of the room, while I looked at Gaara, who was looking where my father had been. I had yet to mention to him that the man beside me was, but we hadn't had much of a chance.

"Gaara." I said as I walked over to his desk, which made him look up at me. "I'm sorry this has caused you trouble, which I'm sure it has."

"What your uncle is doing is not your fault." He said simply and I nodded, but I was still annoyed that this had been brought to Suna. I was just glad that no assassins had gotten here from the sounds of it. "However, who was that man? I feel like I know him."

"He's my father." I stated and he looked at me in faint surprise. "Yeah, he was saved. And, he's not as bad as I thought. I just forgot a lot about him and some of my past memories, but Demiyah helped me get them back."

"Demiyah?" He asked and I let out a short, nervous laugh as I kept standing in front of the desk.

"She's the demon wolf sealed inside of me." I said and I watched as Gaara stood up out of his chair, which made me look at him in wonder. He walked around the desk and stood near me

"I think it might be better if we go for a walk." He said and I was slightly confused.

"But don't you have to work? You are the Kazekage." I said.

"I have caught up on all my paperwork and I am not needed right now. Also, people have a tendency to find me when I am needed, so it will be fine." He said.

"Alright then." I said and I watched as he grabbed his gourd and put it on his back, which I was still surprised he could carry. I would not want to carry something like that around, but sand was what he used to fight.

We left the building and started walking through Suna, Gaara and I walking besides each other.

"When did you learn the truth?" Gaara asked me as we walked and I kept my eyes ahead. I had to wonder why he spoke to me like this, and from what I had heard, he did not speak to a lot of people like this.

"Before Konoha was attacked, which was dealt with. Demiyah finally revealed herself to me then, right before." I explained.

"Why did she wait?" He asked, not asking about Konoha despite me thinking he would, and I chuckled, which made him look at me.

"I was kinda messed up growing up, so I don't think she wanted to add to it. But, once I met you, again, she felt I was ready. She told me that she is permanently part of me, meaning she can't be taken from me and she will die when I do. She was sealed inside of me as a way to survive, and her bloodline is linked to mine, so I have my own unique dōjutsu and kekkei genkai." I explained as we walked and he looked at me. "It's also why I have white hair now. She's one of two twin wolf demons, but she's the one of light apparently, which does make sense."

"I am glad you have learnt that, as I know it was something you wanted to know." He said, before he looked at me. "You said once you met me again. When have we met before?"

I smiled at him. "I didn't remember this till the block on my memories was gone, but we met once when we were children. My father came here to speak to yours, and I came to talk to you. You were all by yourself, and I was wearing a cloak at the time. Not to mention the fact that we were very young." I explained and he looked at me, slightly surprised.

"You said I was amazing, and you weren't afraid of me." He said and I smiled at him.

"And you made me a teddy bear." I said and he looked at me.

"I've always remembered that, as you were the only child who wasn't afraid of me back then, but I only met you the once and I didn't know who you were." He said.

"Well, I had no reason to be scared of you. You were just a kid like me." I said. "Haven't you realized yet that I don't judge like that. Sure, people can be stupid and do bad things, but what happened with you wasn't your fault. I've had people try to kill me, even back then, so I know what it's like."

"I am still unsure of how you do that; see me in such a light." He said and I looked at him as we came to a stop out front of the hospital.

"Gaara, who am I to judge you for being different. You had a demon in you, and it tried to drive you insane and take over. The fact that you're still standing here, and are the way you are, is amazing. Yes, you did some bad things, but so what. You changed, and now you're the Kazekage of the sand village and you protect all these people, people who once hated you." I said in earnest and he seemed surprised. "And, you saved me."

"You are the one who saved my life. I cannot see how I saved you." He said and I smiled.

"The same way Naruto saved you." I said and his eyes widened. "Gaara, I'm going back to help my village and my family. A while ago, I never wanted to see that village again. I dropped the walls I spent years making after I met you, and I'm better for it."

"Then I am glad." He said, before looking up at the building. "You should go speak to your sister. No assassins will breach my village's walls and get to you." He promised.

"Well, I did take two out not far from the walls, so if they're smart they shouldn't be a problem. You shouldn't have a problem for a while." I said. "But thank you."

"I'll leave you to talk to her. I should get back before someone comes looking for me." Gaara said and I nodded. "I'll have a room prepared for you and your sister to stay in, as well as one for your father."

He left after that and I smiled after him, before heading into the building. I found the room my father and Ayame were in, and I found Ayame hugging our father tight. She had definitely grown up. She had waist length brown hair and she was dressed in a pink jacket and black pants with black sandals. Well, at least she'd dressed appropriately while running.

She pulled away from our father and that is when she spotted me, and her eyes widened. "Naria?"

I smiled. "Hello Ayame." I said calmly, as I wasn't sure if she was scared or not. I had no idea what she thought of me.

She smiled and ran over to me, hugging me tight.

"I'm so glad. I knew you were alive, I heard uncle ordering assassins after you." She said as she pulled away from me. "I was never scared of you, never, but Mother kept me away. I know everything that happened, everything, that's why I left. I wanted to find you and Riku and get your help. I thought grandmother could help."

"You know our grandmother thinks I'm a monster right." I pointed out and she nodded.

"Yes, but she was the only person I knew how to find." Ayame admitted.

"According to Ayame, my brother and son are in this together." Dad said and I looked at Ayame.

"So Nobu is being a full-fledged idiot?" I asked and Ayame nodded. "Fantastic. Why am I not surprised?"

"Because Nobu thinks being a prince makes him better than everyone else and is a pompous ass." Ayame said and I looked at her, doing my best not to laugh.

"They never hurt you, did they?" I asked and she shook her head.

"They wouldn't dare, but they've been making life hell for the people and not fun at all. They fired all the old guards and hired new ones that are horrible. If it wasn't for a maid who knew of the old underground tunnels, I wouldn't have gotten away." Ayame admitted and I sighed.

"We're going to help you, and so is Riku and his wife." I said and her eyes widened.

"Riku's married?" She asked and I nodded.

"I can explain it to you if you want me to, or Dad can if you feel better with him." I said and she looked at me.

"Naria, I don't know you because of Mom, and then you had to run because of Uncle, but you're my sister and I don't think you can be worse than Nobu or Uncle. I don't care that you have a demon or whatever it is in you." Ayame said, and I was surprised, but still happy. She didn't take after our mother at least.

"Excuse me?" Someone asked and I turned to look at them. "The Kazekage asked me to show you to your rooms." Well, that was quick.

"Thank you." I said and I looked over at Dad, who nodded.

We followed the shinobi to the rooms Gaara had gotten for us, which I really did need to thank him for, and showed us which room Ayame and I would be staying in, and which room Dad would be staying in, before leaving.

"I've spoken to her, so I'll let you two speak. Just make sure she rests." Dad said and I nodded, before leading Ayame into our room.

"Is father okay? He's been acting weird." Ayame asked and I sighed as I sat on the bed beside her. This room had two beds, unlike last time, which is when we slept on futons.

"He feels guilty for many things. Trying to kill me, despite it not being his fault. Not stopping Tadao before he could do all this. Killing Mom. Having put Riku through the pain of thinking he'd killed him." I explained so she understood.

"Our lives got so messed up because of Uncle Tadao's and Mother's actions." She said and I was surprised.

"You brought up Mother, why?" I asked and she looked at me, sad.

"I loved Mom, I did, but she treated you so badly. Father only didn't speak out because he didn't want to tear the village apart. You didn't deserve how Mother treated you or how the people treated you." Ayame said. "I don't know why you want to help."

I sighed. "I was a mess for years Ayame, and I built walls and acted cold because I didn't want to be close to anyone ever again. I was mad, I was sad and I didn't want to care. But recently, I've begun to change and see things differently. In the process I began to let the real me out and learn who that is, and I realized that life is too short to hold onto hate. Holding onto hate and the past only causes me pain, no one else, unless I take that hate out on others who have done nothing. So, yes, I was treated badly in the village, but they were scared. Also, despite it being ten years, you're still my family and family has always meant something to me." I explained, before taking her hand in mine. "But Ayame, despite every bad thing she did, Ayana loved you, and she didn't love much. But you, she loved."

"I know Mother loved me." She smiled, before squeezing my hand. "But I saw what she did to you. The way she taught you to be a princess, and the way she started teaching me were different. I don't remember much, I mean I was just four, but some of my first memories were watching Mother hit you. I saw my mother hit my sister who wasn't doing anything wrong."

I was taken aback by that. "I never knew you saw that." I said, because I had hoped she never did.

"You were my big sister, I wanted to be around you, so I used to sneak in and watch you. Especially when you danced. One thing I remember is you dancing." Ayame said, before she looked sad. "When I saw Father, I only knew who he was because of photo's I've seen, same as you. For a second, when I said your name, I wasn't sure it was you, but Father said you were here too. We've been separated for ten years."

"I know." I said. "And you should know that while I'm helping, I'm not going to be living in the valley after this. I live in the Leaf and I am happy there, but I will come and visit as often as I can."

"I wish you'd come back and stay, as I want to get to know my sister, but if you visit I'll be okay. I just want to get to know you, and Riku." Ayame said.

"Well, Riku will be the lord once this is all over, so you'll have him, and his wife Kanami is really nice." I said and she seemed surprised.

"Father doesn't want to be lord again?" She asked and I shook my head.

"Dad didn't want to be lord to begin with because, like me, he felt like he was born to be more of a free spirit and to fight to protect, though he loves the people just as much. He feels that he messed up because of what happened, and while we all know it wasn't his fault, he doesn't want to be lord again and Riku is ready to be." I explained so she understood.

"You're really smart Naria, and you seem to understand them." She said and I felt like laughing.

"Well, I haven't always been like this exactly, but I've started to work things out and Dad and Riku have always been easy to work out." I admitted, because I had always been able to work out what Riku was thinking, and now I remembered that things weren't much different with Dad.

That's when there was a loud knocking on the door and I got off the bed, going over to the door and opening it to reveal our grandmother, who's eyes widened when she saw me.

"Hello Grandmother." I said.

"I thought this was Ayame's room." She said and I nodded, stepping aside.

"She's here too. Come on in." I said, because I was going to be polite until she decided to be rude, which there was a chance of since I could see the look in her amber eyes.

She stepped past me and looked at Ayame. "Ayame, I heard you were injured and looking for me. Why are you here and not in the valley, safe?" She asked, and it was obvious she was concerned.

"Because it's not safe in the valley anymore Grandmother. Uncle Tadao and Nobu are doing horrible things, and they want us dead." Ayame said as she stood up and Aya shook her head.

"Nonsense." She said and Ayame stepped away from her.

"How would you know? You haven't returned since Mother died, which Tadao was behind." Ayame said and Aya looked at me.

"Is that what you told her?" She asked and Ayame was not happy.

"No, it wasn't actually. I heard him admit it to Nobu, who didn't care. Tadao used a Genjutsu on Father to get him to help Mother kill Naria, and if you don't believe me, Father is in the next room and can tell you what really happened." Ayame said.

"Your father is dead." Aya replied.

"Actually, I'm not Aya." I heard Dad say and I turned as Aya spun around to look at the doorway.

"Itaru." She said in shock.

"What my daughter says is true. Tadao and Ayana conspired to kill Naria and used a Genjutsu on me to get me to help. They controlled my mind, but Riku interrupted before we did, and in that time, I killed Ayana as she tried to get in-between Riku and I, as she was afraid he would work out I was being controlled as I was told to kill him if he came in and wanted him out of there. Riku drove a sword through my chest to take me down once I lost all sense again after I killed her, and after that he fled, while Tadao imprisoned Naria for a year so he could pin blame on her. Then, he tried to kill her." Dad explained and I had begun to realize I had misinterpreted some of what had happened.

"Ayana wouldn't do that, and how can you not sound regretful for killing my daughter?" Aya demanded and my father looked at her steadily.

"I did not want to kill Ayana, but I am not going to regret the fact that I killed her the night she tried to kill our daughter. I was being controlled, she was not." Dad said. "And don't stand there and tell me she wouldn't try to kill Naria, because you knew her thoughts and that she didn't want Naria around. She hired people to try and kill our daughter and I had to put extra security on her to protect her, which many thought I was doing because I didn't trust Naria, but it was my wife who I did not trust."

"Wait, what do you mean Mother had tried to have Naria killed before that?" Ayame demanded, before looking at me. "Naria?"

"He's not lying – half of the assassins that came after me were sent by her." I admitted, because I had been flat out told by Nobu and it was something I believed. I then looked at Aya, who was looking at me in rage. "You can think what you want about me, I don't care, but you should believe Ayame. She came here because Nobu and Tadao are up to something, and she has no reason to lie. Tadao has been sending assassins after Riku and I for years, despite us not being together and us having no intention to ever return."

"And how exactly did you survive?" Aya demanded as she looked at me.

"Demiyah, the demon inside of me, saved my life." I said and she shook her head.

"So, you are a demon child." She said and I looked at her.

"Aya, that is my daughter." Dad said in anger.

"Dad, don't. I don't need you speaking for me." I said, before looking back at Aya again. "You speak as though having a demon inside of me is the worst thing in the world, but it isn't. I'm different, but that doesn't make me bad or dangerous. From what I've seen, the only reason children like me become messed up is because people are incapable of looking past the demons in us and seeing us for what we are: Children. I didn't ask to be this, but I certainly never did anything wrong as a child. Ayana and Tadao tried to kill me because… well, I don't know why. And as for you, you can see me as a monster all you like, I don't care. I know who I am, and to be frank, Demiyah may be a demon, but she cares about me more than Ayana ever did, so what does that say about my mother?"

Aya looked at me in shock, surprised by what I had said. "You've never spoken this way to me before."

"Maybe because after meeting me once and calling me a disgrace, you avoided me like the plague. You live in a village ruled by someone who used to have a demon in him, and yes, he was messed up as a child because the demon tormented him and people kept trying to kill him, even when he didn't hurt anyone, but he had a right to be, and despite all that people care about him and he's an amazing Kazekage. Yes, demons are dangerous, but having a demon inside of you isn't made easier by people being disgusted by you, and just 'cause you have a demon in you doesn't mean you'll lose control of it." I said seriously, because I had learnt a lot. "I might be a demon child, but I have come to live with that, so you really should too. I can't change this, but I did not deserve how you and my mother treated me, but that's just who you are and now I've learnt that it doesn't matter what you think."

"You really believe that, don't you?" Aya asked and I nodded.

"Yeah, I do, because it's true. People can be afraid if they want to be, I won't fault them for that, but the extent matters. It hurts as a kid, but I'm not a kid anymore. I know who I am and no one can tell me any different." I said. "But we're getting off point. The point is that Nobu and Tadao have it in for us, and they're treating the villagers poorly from what Ayame and Dad have said, so we're going to go and stop them."

"How, by killing your brother?" She demanded and I sighed.

"I'm certainly going to try to beat some sense into him, but none of us are going there with the intent to kill. We're going there to stop them." I said, because I was rather pissed. "Unlike my uncle and my mother, I couldn't think of outright killing my family. The only reason I'd do that is if it was the only way to stop them and save other people, but I would still feel bad."

"Ayame, why did you come find me? Were you intending to ask me to fight?" Aya demanded and Ayame crossed her arms.

"I came to you because you were the only family I could find, and I thought I'd be safe with you, but all you are is judgmental." Ayame said, shocking Aya. "You can go Grandmother, I have Naria and Father helping me. They'll keep me safe and help me help the village, and so will Riku."

"How can you trust her?" Aya demanded, pointing to me. "Or your father? He killed your mother."

"What happened to Mother is not Father's fault, it was hers. She made her choice. He's my father, and all he's ever done is love us, and it's obvious he still does. As for Naria; she's my sister." Ayame said, before pointing at the door. "Now go, because I don't want someone in my life who hates my sister for no good reason."

I was surprised by that, and I had to try not to laugh as Aya stalked out of the room.

"I cannot stand that woman." Dad said once she had left.

"How did you stay married to Ayana? She was worse than that." I asked, because if it was me, I'd never had agreed to the marriage in the first place. "I sometimes wonder how I'm related to them."

"Thankfully, only Nobu seems to have taken after them in the personality department." Ayame said and I smiled at that, while I saw Dad sigh.

"Trust me, you have no idea how grateful I am that you two did not take after your mother, and that Riku doesn't either." Dad said, before sighing. "I just wish Nobu had grown up and not followed my brother."

"We'll find a way to stop them Dad. I don't want this to be happening either, but unfortunately I don't see Nobu changing his mind and we know Tadao won't." I said, before looking at Ayame. "You've been around Nobu more than we have, so what do you think?"

I really wanted to smack Nobu when I saw Ayame's face become sad. "For a long time, I had hope that Nobu would change and stop following Uncle's ideas, but he's just as bad as him and all he wants is power. He loves ruling over people and being in charge, and I don't think he'll step away unless we make him."

"Funny, considering he's letting Tadao be in charge." I said, and that is when I saw the look on Ayame's face. "He's playing our uncle, isn't he?"

"I think he has his own agender, yes, but I don't know what it is." She said and I sighed.

"Well, let's worry about that once we get back to Riku's. For now, I am going to rest and you two should too." Dad said, before smiling and leaving the room.

"Well, he isn't awkward at all." I said and Ayame laughed from beside me, making me smile a little. "Would you like to go out and get something to eat? Or I can go and get something for us?"

She stood up. "No, I'll come with you. I feel okay." She said and I looked at her for a moment, but after that I figured she was telling me the truth and headed for the door.

I opened the door to reveal Rozuko, who had her hand raised to knock obviously, but now had a rather surprised look. "I was just about to knock."

"Obviously." I said, motioning to her still raised hand, which she lowered. "We're about to go out for something to eat, but you're welcome to come with us if you want to talk. I have no idea where to get food here."

She looked past me at Ayame. "You don't mind?" She asked.

"No, I'm okay with it. You obviously know Naria, and I want to hear how." Ayame said and I rolled my eyes.

"Then lead the way." I said and with that, we left.


End file.
